w< 


*v: 


t>*  .\tm\- 


■->.»!       T, 


f.L»'.'tf.: 


S^Si 


Ifi 


•g?« 


['  I  HAVE  FELT 


Itye  Htbrarp 

of  He 

©nitoeraitpofiSortljCarolma 


Collection  of  Jlortf)  Caroltmatta 
8££i 

e«3 


/ 


At      at 


00006737748 


This  BOOK  may  be  kept  out  TWO  WEEKS 
ONLY,  and  is  subject  to  a  fine  of  FIVE 
CENTS  a  day  thereafter.  It  was  taken  out 
on  the  day  indicated  below: 


^ 


i>i4nM/t 


s£o< 


_• 


0 


FRONTISPIECE. 


IOLA: 


OR 


FACING  THE  TRUTH 


BY 

J.  Pressley  Barrett. 


"  Boundless  love  to  yon  and  me" 


RALEIGH,  N.  C: 
Presses  of  Edwards,  Broughton  &  Co. 


c 


Ti 


- 


9^i . 


PREFACE. 


Life — bondage — freedom — what  a  picture  ! 
No  painter's  brush  can  portray, — it  exists 
only  in  the  heart.  It  cannot  be  seen,  it  must 
be  felt.  As  in  water,  face  answers  to  face,  so 
in  the  great  sea  of  human  experience,  heart 
answers  to  heart,  mind  to  mind,  till  we  live 
and  feel  and  see  as  another.  Then  only  can 
we  see  and  appreciate  the  picture  in  all  its 
varied  features,  its  bold  figures  and  delicate 
outlines,  its  master  touches,  here  and  there, 
till  it  becomes  a  scene  of  rare  beauty  and 
power. 

The  story  of  such  a  life  is  before  you,  deal- 
ing with  a  living,  growing  question.  Iola 
Graham  seeks  the  truth,  walking  through  the 
terrible  fires  of  persecution,  unmindful  of  the 
sufferings  she  endures  to  obtain  so  rich  a 
reward  as  the  crown  of  her  life. 

I   trust   it   may  entertain  and  instruct  you 
•A  . 

to  follow  along  her  rugged  pathway,  as,  with 


PREFACE. 

true  womanly  courage,  she  meets  error  and 
fights  her  own  battles  to  victory. 

Do  not  call  my  story  a  fiction.  It  is 
founded  on  facts  from  real  life.  To  this  many 
an  aching  heart  will  bear  willing  testimony. 

If  persons,  from  whose  lives  and  history 
these  characters  and  incidents  have  been 
drawn,  shall  recognize  themselves  as  the  pro- 
totype in  this  narrative,  I  beg  to  assure  them 
that  love  for  such  as  are,  or  may  be,  in  like 
perils,  has  prompted  me  to  use  them  for  so 
noble  a  purpose  as  the  good  of  others.  The 
thrilling,  heart-reaching  scenes  through  which 
the  heroine  passes,  it  is  hoped,  may  awaken 
thought  and  point  to  a  more  excellent  way. 
If  I  may  thus  prompt  and  help  the  creed- 
fettered  man  or  woman  to  apply  the  balm  of 
relief,  before  it  is  too  late,  my  object  will  be 
accomplished  and  my  reward  gained  ;  and 
then,  as  in  the  closing  scene,  may  "Iphedeiah" 
be  heard  by  thousands  who  now  spend  their 
days  entangled  in  the  galling  chains  of  in- 
tolerance. J.  P.  B. 

Raleigh,  N.  C,  April,  1886. 


FACING  THE  TRUTH, 


Chapter  I. 

Vfy^HE  day  was  dark  and  the  smoke  from 
iAM  the  field  of  battle  floating  upon  the  air 
added  to  the  gloom.  The  campaign  of  1864 
had  been  fearfully  destructive  to  both  life 
and  property  in  Virginia;  In  no  section  was 
the  damage  greater  than  between  City  Point 
and  Richmond,  on  the  James. 

The  home  of  Gen.  Pickett,  the  Virginia 
hero  of  Gettysburg,  with  many  others,  was 
burned.  Among  the  few  of  the  magnificent 
residences  spared  from  the  flames  was  the 
noted  old  homestead  of  "  Shirley,"  com- 
manding a  fine  view  of  the  river.  It  was 
built  of  brick,  it  is  believed,  in  1642,  and  is 
yet  in  a  fine  state  of  preservation  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  fertile  fields  and  lovely  gardens. 
It  is  specially  noted  as  the  birthplace  of 
Annie  Carter,  wife  of  Light  Horse  Harry 
Lee,  a  soldier  of   Revolutionarv  fame.     She 


6  IOLA;   OR, 

was  the  mother  of  Gen.  R.  E.  Lee,  the  hero 
of  the  Confederacy. 

Here  was  the  battle  ground  in  some  of  the 
hardest  fights  of  the  war  between  the  States. 
It  was  from  this  point  that  General  McClellan 
took  refuge  under  cover  of  his  gun-boats 
after  the  never-to-be-forgotten  Seven  Days' 
Battle  around  Richmond.  Here,  too,  Gen. 
McClellan  met  and  repulsed  Gen.  Magruder 
at  Malvern  Hill,  besides  many  others,  making 
this  section  of  the  Old  Dominion  a  field  of 
blood. 

The  Union  Army  in  its  famous  march  on 
to  Richmond,  under  the  command  of  that 
chieftain  of  chieftains,  Gen.  Grant,  was  press- 
ing hard  upon  the  Confederates.  The  turbid 
waters  of  the  historic  James  were  streaked 
with  blood  from  adjoining  hillsides,  where 
Carnage  waved  her  red  scepter  mercilessly  to 
the  death  of  thousands. 

On  the  hills  adjoining  Bermuda  Hundreds 
many  a  poor  soldier  had  fallen,  some  dead, 
others  to  die,  and  a  few  to  recover,  among 

whom  was  George  Graham,  of  Co. ,  in 

the regiment,    under  Col.  S ,   all 

of  North  Carolina.  The  cannons'  roar  had 
ceased,  only  occasional  rifle   shots  from  the 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


^ 


K 


^ 


v.         ~ 


8  IOLA ;  OR, 

famous  "bushwhacker"  were  heard.  In 
crossing  a  field  George  Graham  was  struck 
by  a  ball  from  their  guns  which  crushed  the 
kneepan  and  fractured  the  main  bone  of  the 
left  leg,  leaving  him  in  a  pitiable  condi- 
tion. He  was  alone,  and  the  shock,  together 
with  the  rapid  loss  of  blood,  rendered  him 
helpless.  For  the  first  time  in  life  he  felt 
that  he  was  wading  the  waters  of  the  dark 
river.  He  imagined  he  felt  the  touch  of 
Death's  icy  fingers  upon  his  brow.  His  mind 
was  clear  and  he  rapidly  reviewed  his  life, 
which,  as  a  Christian,  had  not  been  satisfac- 
tory, but  his  hope  was  in  Christ.  The  pain 
brought  from  the  thought  of  death,  on  the 
battle-field- — away  from  home,  from  his 
mother,  added  to  the  gloom  of  this  trying 
moment.  Then  a  piteous  plea  went  up  to 
God  in  his  own  behalf,  He  cried:  M  O 
Father,  send  some  ministering  angel  to  my 
rescue— let  me  not  die  here  on  this  lonely 
field  ;  let  some  hand  of  mercy  minister  to  me 
in  this  terrible  suffering," 

Almost  as  if  the  echo  to  his  own  prayer 
he  thought  he  heard  the  fall  of  footsteps 
near  him.  He  listened — how  anxiously! 
"Oh,"  said  he,  "that  must   be  the  footstep 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  9 

of  a  friendly  comer,  who  will  help  a  dying 
man.  If  mother  were  only  here  to  bless  my 
last  moments,  I  could  more  willingly  give  up 
the  struggle  and  die  in  peace  !  But  I  hear 
footsteps,  they  seem  near  me,"  said  he,  and 
turning  his  head,  just  to  his  right  he  saw  a 
bright,  but  half-frightened  young  woman, 
having  been  drawn  out  of  her  way  by  the 
piteous  moans  she  heard  in  passing.  She  was 
a  brave  girl,  or  she  would  never  have  gone 
alone  so  near  a  dvinp;  soldier — Heaven  bless 
her  !  Her  first  impulse  after  seeing  the  situa- 
tion was  to  flee,  if  possible,  unobserved. 
This  her  noble  heart  could  not  consent  to  do, 
and  drawing  nearer  she  bravely  asked  : 

"  Can  I  help  you?"- 

"  Water,  please,"  lisped  the  parched 
tongue  through  the  pale,  trembling  lips. 

Remembering  a  spring  near  by,  Addie 
Trueheart,  for  that  was  her  name,  took  the 
dying  man's  canteen,  and  in  har.te  brought 
the  cool  water  to  refresh  the  exhausted  sol- 
dier. He  drank  freely,  and  taking  what  was 
left,  she  bathed  the  bleeding  wound.  Look- 
ing her  full  in  the  face,  with  a  trembling 
voice  he  said  : 


IO  IOLA;   OR, 

"You  are  an  angel  of  mercy,  sent  to  me. 
Thank  you,  and  may  God  reward  you,  dear, 
brave  little  woman." 

11  May  1  not  do  more  for  you  ?"  she  kindly 
asked.  "  Thank  you,  good  friend  ;  I  know  of 
nothing  more,  only  when  you  go  home  and 
after  I  am  dead,  please  write  to  my  mother 
and  tell  her,  as  tenderly  as  you  can,  of  my 
death  in  this  lonely  field.  Tell  her  that  I 
died  for  my  country  and  that  my  last  mo- 
ments were  blessed  by  the  visit  of  an  angel 
of  mercy — I  mean  yourself.  Tell  her  your 
name  and  what  you  did  to  make  me  com- 
fortable in  my  dying  hour,  that  I  hope  to 
meet  her  in  that  "  Better  Land  "  where  no 
cruel  war  slays  men  in  this  barbarous  man- 
ner." Then  in  a  moment's  silence,  as  if  con- 
templating Heaven,  he  feebly  whispered, 
"  Oh,  blessed,  peaceful  home  of  rest."  Again 
looking  into  the  face  of  the  brave  little 
woman,  he  said,  "  Before  you  leave  me, 
please  tell  me  your  name — I  shall  wish  to 
meet  you  and  know  you  in  Heaven." 

"Addie  Trueheart  is  my  name,"  she  mod- 
estly answered. 

"Thank  you,"  responded  the  trembling 
lips. 


FACING   THE    TRUTH.  II 

"But,"  said  Addie,  '  I  would  not  think  of 
leaving  you  here  to  die  alone.  My  father  is 
a  surgeon  and  we  live  just  over  the  hill.  I 
will  go  and  have  you  taken  to  our  home, 
where  good  attention  may  yet  save  your 
life." 

"Oh,  thank  you  ! — I  do  thank  you — I  am 
so  thirsty  ;  more  water,  please." 

The  water  was  given,  and  as  she  turned  to 
go,  she  said,  as  if  to  cheer  the  man, 

"  There  is  hope — let  that  be  the  star  upon 
which  to  rest  your  eyes  till  help  comes. 
May  angels  watch  over  you,"  and  the  noble 
hearted  Addie  went  to  her  home  for  help. 


Chapter  II. 


jEACHING  home,  Addie  told  what  she 
had  seen  and  begged  that  help  be  sent 
at  once — that  the  soldier  be  taken  to  her 
father's.  To  this  no  objection  was  urged,  for 
one  could  not  well  withstand  the  earnest  and 
pitiful  plea  of  Addie  Trueheart ;  though  her 
father  had  some  misgivings  as  to  the  proprie- 
ty of  the  step,  yet  hertender  appeal  prevailed. 


12  IOLA;    OR, 

A  stretcher  was  improvised,  and  Dr.  True- 
heart,  with  four  strong  colored  laborers  from 
the  farm,  with  Addie  directing  the  way,  was 
soon  in  the  presence  of  the  wounded  man. 
His  removal  to  the  Doctor's  home  was 
quickly  accomplished,  and  his  wounds 
dressed.  During  the  days  following,  while 
the  sufferer  was  in  their  home,  with  a  char- 
acteristic kindness  Addie  sought  to  make 
him  cheerful  and  happy  ;  and  by  much  faith- 
ful nursing  she  hastened  the  day  of  his 
recovery. 

After  the  first  attention  to  the  wounds, 
upon  entering  the  room  Addie  observed  a 
decided  change — a  bright,  fresh  look  on  his 
face,  and  she  greeted  him  with  : 

"  I  hope  you  are  feeling  better,  Mr.  Gra- 
ham." 

"  Oh,  very  much  better — it  is  one  of  the 
richest  provisions  of  God's  mercy  that  he 
keeps  some  angels  on  earth,  in  bodily  form, 
else  this  night  I  must  have  died  on  that 
lonely  hillside,  with  no  eye  of  pity  to  look 
into  my  face  save  the  twinkling  stars  of  the 
sky.  I  can  never  thank  him  and  you  enough 
for  this  timely  deliverance  ;  but  your  reward 
is  sure — God  will  bless  you." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 3 


11  We  have  only  done  our  duty,  and  you 
must  not  give  us  the  praise — it  is  all  due  to 
our  Heavenly  Father.  It  was  so  dreadful 
to  think  of  dying  on  that  lonely  field  ;  I  am 
glad  that  we  could  be  of  timely  service  to 
you.  But  now,  father  says,  you  are  doing- 
well,  and  may  soon  recover.  After  all,  I  may 
not  have  to  write  that  sad  letter  to  your 
mother." 

"  That  is  encouraging,  indeed  ;  but  how 
unfortunate  that  I  should  be  a  trouble  to 
you  and  the  family,  even  for  the  shortest 
time  in  which  I  can  hope  to  regain  my 
strength  and  the  use  of  my  disabled  limb."  . 

"  Indeed,  we  would  not  have  you  think 
of  that — it  will  be  a  pleasure  to  do  all 
we  can  for  you,"  said  Addie. 

"This  is  May  16,  1864— a  day  I  shall  not 
soon  forget,"  he  said.  And  there  was  good 
reason  why  he  should  not  forget  it. 

During  the  weeks  following,  Mr.  Graham 
was  a  great  sufferer — some  days  he  was 
cheerful  and  hopeful,  on  others  he  was  de- 
pressed and  weaker.  By  July  he  was  rapidly 
improving,  and  in  August,  having  been  hon- 
orably discharged  from  the  army,  he  sur- 
prised all    by  announcing  his    purpose    to 


14  iola;  or, 

leave  for  his  Carolina  home  in  a  few  days. 
This  called  forth  many  expressions  of  regret 
from  every  member  of  the  family,  so  pleas- 
ant and  companionable  had  he  been  during 
his  stay  in  their  home.  All,  from  the  young- 
est to  the  oldest,  had  become  warm  friends 
to  George  Graham.  He  had  shown  that  he 
was  not  only  a  cultivated  gentleman,  but 
warm-hearted  and  true. 

August  1 8,  he  was  to  start  for  his  home. 
As  that  day  drew  near,  he  spent  more  of  his 
time  with  the  family,  till  the  evening  of  the 
last  day  of  his  stay.  During  all  the  days  of 
his  suffering  Addie  Trueheart  had  been  a 
ministering  angel  to  him,  and  a  sort  of  im- 
pulse seemed  to  suggest  that  the  afternoon 
of  his  last  day  should  be  given  to  her. 

The  beautiful  lawn,  the  lovely  shade  trees, 
and  the  rustic  seats  were  inviting,  and  here 
together  they  spent  the  precious  time  of 
that  afternoon.  The  time  was  sacred,  and 
he  appropriately  used  it  to  make  known  to 
her  his  appreciation  of  the  invaluable  ser- 
vice she  had  rendered  to  him  in  having  saved 
him  from  a  dreadful  and  an  untimely  death. 
S^ie  observed  his  eyes  intently  fixed  on  her- 
self.    At  length  he  said  : 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 5 

"  The  thought  of  leaving  you  and  the 
family,  after  the  events  and  experiences  of 
the  past  few  months,  fills  my  heart  with 
strange  but  sweet  emotions.  The  thought 
that  you  saved  my  life  strikes  the  very  depths 
of  my  soul's  gratitude.  It  overwhelms  me 
and  paralyzes  my  power  of  expression,  till  I 
am  speechless.  Before  you  can  really  ap- 
preciate my  feelings,  you  must  realize  that 
another  has  saved  your  life  from  the  perils 
of  death  on  the  field  of  blood.  I  look  upon 
you  as  a  guardian  angel  sent  by  the  good- 
ness of  Heaven  to  rescue  one  so  unworthy 
as  myself  from  the  very  jaws  of  death." 

"  But,  Mr.  Graham,  I  would  not  have  you 
feel  indebted  to  us — we  have  only  done  our 
duty  in  caring  for  you." 

"  Indeed,  it  is  a  real  pleasure  to  feel  that 
I  am  under  obligations  to  you  for  service  so 
disinterested  and  so  kind.  As  to  your  parents, 
I  am  their  servant  ;  and  as  for  your  own  no- 
ble self,  I  can  only  say,  All  that  I  have,  all 
that  I  am,  or  may  be,  and  if  at  any  time  my 
life  can  be  given  for  your  happiness,  yours 
is  the  privilege  to  command,  and  I  will 
obey." 


16  IOLA;  Oft, 

"  I  have  done  nothing  to  merit  such  art 
offering  at  your  hands,  but  as  a  token  of 
your  gratitude,  I  appreciate  it.  Let  me  as- 
sure you  again  that  it  has  been  a  privilege 
to  us,  and  my  chief  wish  is  that  God  may 
help  you  to  do  good  to  others  for  his  good- 
ness towards  vou." 


Chapter  III. 


tr~ii>\».  N_rrn  c 


j|!AY  I  ask  a  favor  of  you,  Miss  True- 
heart  ?" 

"  Certainly,  sir." 

"  Pardon  the  seeming  presumption,  but  I 
wish  your  photograph  to  carry  to  my  mother, 
that  she  may  at  least  see  the  image  of  the 
brave  little  woman  who  saved  my  life  when 
I  supposed  I  was  already  wading  the  chilly 
waters  of  death.  Besides,  I  wish  it  for  my- 
self." 

"  Under  the  circumstances,  and  for  the 
purpose  first  named,  I  cannot  refuse  you" — 
and  handing  him  a  half  dozen,  she  said, 
"  make  your  own  selection." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH*  l? 

14  Many  thanks!  Again,"  said  he,  "you 
make  me  your  servant.  I  will  guard  that 
photograph  to  the  latest  day  of  my  life.  It 
will  ever  call  to  mind  davs  never  to  be  for- 
gotten." 

The  beautiful  "  sunset's  radiant  glow"  was 
just  then  painting  the  western  sky  in  match- 
less beauty,  throwing  athwart  the  heavens 
streams  of  golden  light.  Under  the  enchant- 
ment of  such  a  picture  these  two  devoted 
friends  wended  their  way  in  the  silence  of 
admiration  to  the  mansion. 

"When  I  am  gone,"  said  Mr.  Graham,  "I 
hope  your  thoughts  of  me  may  not  be  con- 
fined to  the  trouble  I  must  have  been  to  you 
and  the  family." 

"With  your  stay  in  our  home  will  be  asso- 
ciated many  very  pleasant  recollections,  I 
assure  you." 

Before  a  reply  could  be  made  to  this  very 
kind  remark  they  had  entered  the  family 
circle,  where  they  joined  in  conversation 
with  others. 

The  next  morning  he  left  for  North 
Carolina. 

The  carriage  being  ready,  he  bade  them 
farewell  quickly,  and,  as  he  pressed  the  hand 


1 8  IOLA;  OR, 

of  Addie,  tears  moistened  his  eyes  and  his 
lips  quivered.  He  was  evidently  praying  for 
a  blessing  upon  the  woman  who  had  saved 
his  life.  And — then  he  was  gone.  His  ab- 
sence was  a  vacancy  indeed.  "  He  often 
spoke  of  others  as  angels,"  said  Addie,  "  but 
in  truth  I  feel  more  as  if  one  had  gone  out 
from  us." 

On  August  22d.  George  Graham  reached 
his  mother's  home  and  was  welcomed  as  only 
a  mother  can  welcome  a  wounded  boy,  re- 
turning  from  the  gory  field. 

After  the  excitement  of  getting  home  was 
over,  he  drew  from  his  pocket  a  photograph 
and  passed  it  to  his  mother,  saying  in  a  half 
anxious  way  :  "  Give  me  your  opinion  of  that 
face,  mother." 

"  Why,"  said  Mrs.  Graham,  "  that  is  a 
good  face,"  and  she  made  no  mistake,  for 
Addie  Trueheart  was  not  only  beautiful  and 
brave,  but  good  as  well.  "  I  judge,"  said  his 
mother,  "this  must  be  the  intended  of  your 
heart." 

"  No,  mother  ;  at  least  nothing  has  been 
said  .  as     to    that,      but     it    is    the   picture 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


*9 


ADDIE  TRUEHEART- 


Give  >ne  your  opinion  of  that  face,   mother.  " 


20  IOLA;    OR, 

of  the  lady  who  saved  me  as  I  lay  bleed- 
ing to  death  on  the  hills  near  Bermuda  Hun- 
dreds, in  Virginia." 

"  Indeed,  is  this  the  lady  of  whom  you  so 
often  wrote  as  your  '  ministering  angel  ?'  " 

"  Yes,  mother — a    noble  soul  she  is,  too." 

"  Her  features  indicate  a  warm  and  gener- 
ous heart,"  said  Mrs.  Graham,  as  she  gazed 
steadily  at  the  picture  she  held  in  her  hand. 
Almost  unconsciously  she  had  fallen  in  love 
with  her  son's  deliverer,  and  well  she  might, 
for  without  her  assistance,  George  Graham 
would  have  died  from  exhaustion  and  loss 
of  blood. 

Weeks  passed  by  till  the  close  of  the  year. 
To  George  Graham  it  had  been  the  most 
eventful  year  of  his  life.  It  had  not  only 
been  a  period  of  sufferings,  but  of  blessings 
as  well,  for,  to  use  his  own  words,  an  "  angel 
of  mercy  had  been  sent,  in  the  person  of 
Addie  Trueheart,  to  save  his  life." 

The  New  Year  came  in  with  as  flattering 
prospects  surrounding  Mr.  Graham  as  could 
be  expected  in  time  of  war,  and  yet  he  was 
not  himself — he  was  restless,  dissatisfied 
and  sometimes  a  little  melancholy.  His 
friends,  even  his  mother,  could  not  account 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  21 

for  his  strange  actions.  He  alone  under- 
stood the  situation.  The  real  cause  was  hid 
in  the  deepest  recesses  of  his  heart.  Since 
he  left  Dr.  Trueheart's,  there  had  been  an 
aching  void  in  his  bosom  which  only  Addie 
Trueheart  could  fill.  But  how  to  reach  this 
balm  for  his  wounded  heart  was  the  question 
hard  to  answer.  She  was  more  than  a  hun- 
dred miles  away,  the  war  was  still  raging, 
the  post  routes  were  broken  or  intercepted 
by  the  invading  army.  A  visit  in  person 
was  not  only  a  hazardous  undertaking,  but 
well  nigh  an  impossibility.  Thus  forced  day 
by  day  to  move  on  in  life  without  a  word, 
or  the  prospect  of  one,  from  the  object  of 
his  affections,  he  naturally  showed  the  spirit 
of  discontent. 

Such  was  his  life  till  August,  1865.  The 
cruel  war  was  ended,  the  post  routes  were 
re-established  and  George  Graham  deter- 
mined to  wait  no  longer — he  must  by  some 
means  reach  Addie's  ear  and  heart,  too,  if 
possible.  With  this  purpose  in  view,  he  ad- 
dressed to  her  the  following  very  modest, 
yet  tender  letter : 


22  IOLA  ;   OR, 

Wynan's  Falls,  N.  C,  Aug.  25,  1865. 

My  Dear  Friend  : 

More  than  a  year  ago  I  left  your  pleasant 
home,  after  the  most  hospitable  entertain- 
ment through  months  of  suffering.  During 
those  days  of  darkness  your  tender  kindness 
threw  sunshine  into  my  own  desolate  life. 
Indeed,  I  felt  then,  and  now  feel,  that  your 
presence  is  necessary  to  my  happiness. 
Since  the  day  I  left  your  home,  I  have 
realized  almost  a  constant,  and,  often,  a  pain- 
ful sense  of  your  absence.  Though  I  left 
without  asking  permission  to  continue  our 
acquaintance,  I  venture  to  write,  believing 
that  she  who  once  delivered  me  from  death, 
could  hardly  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  a  request  to 
perpetuate  the  friendship  begun  under  those 
distressing  circumstances.  I  beg  at  your 
hands  a  regular  correspondence.  It  will 
afford  some  satisfaction  in  your  absence.  I 
shall  anxiously  await  ybur  answer.  May  its 
message  come  with  good  cheer  for  me. 
With  the  highest  regards  for  yourself  and 
the  family,  I  beg  to  remain, 
Your  true  friend, 

George  Graham. 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  23 


Chapter  IV. 

^tfjSfWO  weeks  have  gone  since  the  posting 
£-JL^  of  that  letter,  but  no  answer  has  come. 
This  day  he  asked  for  his  mail  in  hope  of  an 
answer,  but  his  hopes  were  blighted — the 
letter,  if  there  be  one,  had  not  come,  and 
George  returned  to  his  home  disappointed. 
He  was  too  much  of  a  man  to  make  in  his 
own  mind  any  unpleasant  explanation  of  her 
continued  silence,  and  bravely  nerved  him- 
self to  wait  with  patience  for  whatever  for- 
tune might  have  in  store  for  him. 

When  he  next  called  at  the  post  office 
several  letters  were  handed  to  him.  He 
quickly  glanced  over  each  and  saw  one  di- 
rected in  a  beautiful  handwriting,  bearing 
as  its  post  mark  "Chester,  Va."  George  knew 
full  well  what  that  meant.  He  quickly  re- 
tired to  a  private  room  and  alone  with  a  ner- 
vous hand  opened  the  letter  and  read  as  fol- 
lows : 


24  IOLA  ;  OR, 

At-Home-ox-the-J,ames,  Va., 

Sept.  13,  1865. 

Mr.  George  Graham, 

Wynan's  Falls,  N.  C. 

Dear  Friend  : 

Yours,  asking  permission  to  renew  our  war 
acquaintance  by  correspondence,  came  Sept. 
6.  It  was  a  surprise,  for  I  did  not  suppose 
I  should  ever  have  the  privilege  of  hearing 
from  you  again.  If  I  can  add  anything  to 
your  pleasure  by  such  a  correspondence,  I 
will  count  it  a  privilege.  When  I  think  of 
what  you  have  suffered  in  defending  your 
country,  I  should  feel  myself  unworthy  of 
the  name  of  woman  were  I  to  withhold  from 
your  entertainment  a  mite  so  small  as  an 
occasional  letter  from   my  pen. 

Your  letter  awakens  many  sad  and  pleasant 
memories  of  your  stay  in  our  home  during  a 
portion  of  the  war;  sad,  because  of  your 
suffering,  and  pleasant,  because  of  the  very 
agreeable  associations  enjoyed,  which  linger 
yet  as  a  glad  refrain  in  the  memory  of  those 
days.     I   am    glad   to  know  of    your    good 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  25 

health — that   Heaven's  blessings    rest    upon 
vou. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  at  your 
convenience. 

Your  friend, 

Addie  Trueheart. 

Had  you  been  looking  into  George  Gra- 
ham's face,  as  he  read  that  letter,  you  could 
never  have  doubted  the  sincerity  of  his  devo- 
tion to  its  author.  He  read  it  a  second  time 
and  it  pleased  him  more  than  at  first.  Upon 
reaching  his  home  he  gave  it  a  third  reading. 

At  tea  his  mother  remarked  that  some- 
thing  had  pleased  George  unusually,  as  his 
face  was  all  aglow  with  smiles.  To  this  he 
made  some  passing  remark,  as  if  she  were 
mistaken,  at  the  same  time,  however,  he 
felt  the  warmth  of  the  blush  of  true  love 
playing  upon  his  cheek.  He  knew  that 
his  mother's  remark  was  well  founded — it 
was  an  outward  expression  of  the  heart's 
joy  in  hearing  from  Addie  Trueheart,  of 
whom  he  often  delighted  to  speak  as  his 
"saving  angel." 

Through  the  night  his  sleep  was  blessed 
with  delightful  dreams.  In  the  morning, 
going  out  to  look  after  his  business  matters, 


26  IOLA  ;    OR, 

he  found  himself  in  a  very  pleasant  mood, 
and  he  really  thought  it  the  brightest  morn- 
ing he  had  ever  seen.  It  was  not  very  clear 
to  his  own  mind  just  why  he  felt  as  he  did. 
The  secret  of  it  all  i.c,  "  the  world  is  full  of 
beauty  when  the  heart  is  full  of  love." 

"  There  is  beauty  in  the  forest 

When  the  trees  are  green  and  fair  ; 
There  is  beauty  in  the  meadows, 
When  wild  flowers  scent  the  air — 
There  is  beauty  in  the  sunlight, 
And  the  soft  blue  beams  above — 
Oh  !  the  world  is  full  of  beauty 
When  the  heart  is  full  of  love.'' 

That  explains  it  all — Addie  Trueheart  lives, 
perhaps  for  him  ;   that's  the  truth  of  it. 

It  was  only  the  next  day  that  he  availed 
himself  of  an  opportunity  to  answer  that 
letter,  as  the  following  will  show  : 

Wynan's  Falls,  N.  C,  Sept.  20,  1865. 

My  Dear  Friend : 

Your  very  modest  letter  came  to  hand 
yesterday.  It  was  as  an  oasis  in  a  weary 
land.  To  know  that  Addie  Trueheart  lives 
changes  the  hopes  of  this  life  to  me  ;  and 
more,  to  know  that  she  cherishes  kind  recol- 
lections of  me,  is  a  joy  known   only  to  my- 


FACING   THE    TRUTH.  2J 

self.  Time  and  again  it  was  my  wish 
and  purpose  to  write,  but  mail  facilities  were 
very  poor,  and  I  doubted  that  it  would  meet 
your  approval.  At  length,  I  could  wait  no 
longer.  I  am  glad  to  know  that  my  first 
letter  met  a  welcome. 

I  can  never  cease  to  feel  how  fully  I  owe 
my  life  to  your  noble  efforts — your  kind  at- 
tention, and  through  you  to  the  surgical 
skill  of  your  father.  Truly,  I  owe  you  a  debt 
of  gratitude  for  saving  my  life  which  money 
can  never  pay. 

So  much  as  you  may  wish  of  my  life,  of 
my  love,  of  my  all,  shall  be  yours.  Excuse 
my  plain  language,  it  is  characteristic  of  a 
sincere  heart.  If  this  statement  displease 
you,  I  ask  now,  in  advance,  for  pardon  on 
the  ground  that  you  cannot  appreciate  the 
emotions  of  my  heart  when  I  think  of  your 
services  to  me  in  a  moment  of  peril.  To-day 
I  am  a  well  man,  and  it  is  mainly  due  to 
your  heroic  goodness  and  service  in  my  be- 
half. If  I  cannot  repay  you,  God  will,  for 
he  rewards  even  a  cup  of  cold  water  given 
in  his  name. 

Awaiting  the  pleasure  of  an  early  answer, 
I  am  your  grateful  friend, 

George  Graham. 


2S  Iola;  OR, 


Chapter  V. 

(YTy;HIS  letter  changed  the  situation.  She 
^JL^  had  not  dreamed  of  George  Graham 
in  the  role  of  a  lover,  and  she  was  not  sure 
now  even  that  he  meant  to  be  such,  though 
his  letter  really  indicated  as  much.  She  de- 
termined to  answer  him  without  in  any  way 
recognizing  him  as  a  lover. 
Her  answer  reads  : 

At-Home-on-the-James,  Va., 

Oct.  i,  1865. 
My  Dear  Friend : 

I  feel  complimented  by  the  respect  you 
gave  my  letter,  even  though  your  apprecia- 
tion may  have  been  governed  more  by  cir- 
cumstances than  by  the  merit  of  the  letter 
itself.  No  doubt  its  sincerity  and  simplicity 
called  forth  your  good  words  in  reply. 

Permit  me  once  more  to  remind  you  that 
you  owe  nothing  to  myself,  or  our  family, 
for  the  little  service  we  rendered  you  as  a 
wounded  soldier.  To  know  that  we  did  our 
duty  in  serving  you  in  a  time  of  need  is 
ample  reward.     So  let  it  pass,  to  live  only  as 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  2Q 

a  green  spot  in  memory,  if  you  wish.  If  we 
did  a  disciple's  portion,  in  due  time  we  shall 
reap  a  disciple's  reward — that  will  be  enough. 

You  have  not  mentioned  your  mother  or 
sister;  I  hope  they  are  well.  I  know  they 
must  be  happy  to  have  you  restored  to  them. 
We  can  the  more  readily  imagine  the  pleasure 
you  are  to  them  since  we  so  well  remember 
the  happiness  you  added  to  our  family  while 
with  us.  I  have  often  wished,  though  in 
vain  I  fear,  that  I  had  the  precious  gifts 
which  render  one's  company  so  desirable. 
To  be  sure,  one  may  cultivate  the  noble  im- 
pulses of  heart  and  mind  till  we  reach,  in 
part,  this  standard,  so  to  speak.  And  this 
will  I  try  to  do. 

I  am  always  glad  to  hear  from  you. 
Your  friend, 

Addie  Trueheart. 

This  letter  gave  rare  pleasure  to  Mr.  Gra- 
ham, and  yet  he  felt  that  something  was  left 
out  —  unsaid.  Certainly,  it  was  friendly 
enough,  but  mere  friendship  was  not  the 
point  at  stake.  Secretly  he  had  loved  Addie 
Trueheart  from  the  day  he  was  wounded  on 
the  field  of  battle,  when  he  saw  the  half 
frightened  little  woman  approach  him.    She 


30  I0LA;    OR, 

gave  the  cup  of  cold  water  and  captured 
his  heart,  and  to  this  day  every  beat  of  that 
heart  has  sent  a  thrill  through  his  hopes  of 
future  bliss.  From  that  moment  she  held 
the  key  to  his  life.  Now  he  feels  that  silence 
is  a  burden,  which  he  must  remove  by  mak- 
ing known  to  her  the  deepest  and  purest 
emotions  of  his  being,  if  perchance  he  may 
win  her  affections  as  the  chief  blessing  of 
the  life  she  with  rare  womanly  bravery  had 
saved. 

Moved  by  the  irresistible  impulse  of  love, 
he  determined  to  make  the  matter  as  short 
as  possible,  and  in  his  next  letter  he  wrote 
thus: 

Wynan's  Falls,  N.  C, 
Oct.  7,  1865. 
My  Dearest  Friend : 

Your  very  welcome  letter  came  in  due 
time.  The  good  news  from  my  old  war 
friends  delights  me.  But,  (shall  I  confess 
it  ?)  I  am  so  restless  and  yet  helpless.  The 
affections  of  my  heart,  like  the  inflowing  tide, 
are  sweeping  over  the  boundary  lines,  till 
one  bosom  cannot  contain  all  the  love  of  my 
heart — will  you  share  with  me?  I  have  a 
secret  for  your  ears,  and   yours  alone.     I  do 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  3 1 

not  wish  to  commit  it  to  paper — may  I  visit 
you  at  your  home  and  "  face  to  face"  tell 
you  of  the  burden  of  my  heart  ? 

I  will  not  take  advantage  of  your  sweet 
sincerity  ;  I  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the  char- 
acter of  my  secret.  Since  the  day  you  saved 
my  life  on  the  battle-field  of  Virginia,  though 
unconscious  of  the  fact,  you  have  held  the 
key  to  my  heart  and  my  love.  My  chief 
wish  now  is  that  you  will  consent  to  bless 
with  yours  the  life  you  so  bravely  saved. 

With  deepest  solicitude  I  await  your 
pleasure.  If  you  grant  my  request,  kindly 
suggest  a  suitable  time  for  the  contemplated 
visit. 

Your  devoted  friend, 

George  Graham. 

"  Well,"  said  Addie  Trueheart,  "  the  ques- 
tion is  settled — George  Graham  is  in  love." 
She  with  a  woman's  intuition  had  known  it 
from  his  letters,  and,  to  own  the  truth,  she 
had  feared  that  her  own  heart  was  also  a 
captive.  Not  till  now,  however,  had  she 
seriously  regarded  it  as  the  coming  question 
for  her  consideration. 

Her  heart  was  touched.  "  Shall  I,"  said 
she,  "  grant   him   permission  to    visit  me?" 


32  IOLA;    OR, 

As  she  thus  faced  this  question,  a  reality, 
she  sincerely  asked  herself,  "Can  I,  do  I, 
love  George  Graham  ?"  She  knew  she  highly 
esteemed  him,  but — well,  she  was  not  sure 
of  the  rest.  She  hesitated  to  say,  Come. 
Days  and  nights  passed — she  could  not  de- 
cide.    Finally,    she  wrote,  and  this    is    the 

letter  : 

At-Home-on-the-James,  Va., 

Oct.  25,  1865. 
Mr.  Graham  : 

Your  letters  have  given  me  much  real 
pleasure,  but  your  last  bewilders  me.  To 
answer  you  is  to  assume  a  great  responsi- 
bility. If  for  no  other  reason  than  past 
associations,  I  am  compelled  to  say  I  would 
be  glad  to  have  a  visit  from  you.  But  to 
have  you  come  to  give  me  a  secret  of  such 
magnitude  as  that  indicated  in  your  last 
letter,  is  a  matter  you  will,  I  hope,  aliow  me 
to  decide  later — perhaps  when  you  come. 
Pay  us  the  visit  for  the  visit's  sake,  and  you 
shall  have  a  hearty  welcome.  As  to  the  time 
of  the  visit,  you  may  choose  for  yourself, 
Our  carriage  will  meet  you  at  Chester  any 
day  you  may  name.  With  best  wishes, 
Your  friend, 

Appje  Trueheart. 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  33 


Chapter  VI. 

fcjHAT  letter  is  good,  yet  it  lacks  much 
^jLlj  of  satisfaction,"  said  George  earnestly 
to  himself,  but  he  determined  to  hasten  the 
visit,  and  wrote  a  short  note  saying  he  would 
reach  Chester,  Nov.  7.  At  one  o'clock  on 
the  day  named,  the  carriage  returned  with 
Mr.  George  Graham  as  the  only  visitor. 
Dr.  Trueheart  met  him  at  the  door  and 
gave  him  a  warm  greeting.  It  was  the  more 
hearty  because  of  the  old  friendship  formed 
during  the  war.  The  Doctor  led  the  way  to 
the  parlor.  After  a  short  but  interesting 
conversation,  he  excused  himself,  and  pass- 
ing out,  informed  Addie  of  the  presence  of 
Mr.  Graham,  with  a  request  that  she  would 
entertain  him  during  his  absence.  He 
had  no  idea  of  the  possibilities  of  the 
visit. 

Addie's  mind  flashed  with  thought,  while 
her  face,  as  an  index  to  the  heart,  showed 
the  evidence  of  hidden  emotions.  Having 
become  partially  self-possessed,  she  entered 
the  parlor  and  met  Mr.  Graham.  After  a 
2 


34  Iola;  Ok, 

pleasant  salutation,  conversation  on  various 
subjects  was  kept  up  till  dinner  was  an- 
nounced. It  was  a  lovely  autumn  day,  and 
late  in  the  afternoon  Mr.  Graham  proposed 
a  walk,  to  which  Addie  consented.  The 
western  sky  was  a  glowing  picture  of  sunset 
beauty. 

The  walk  led  down  by  the  spring,  nearing 
which,  silence  got  the  mastery  of  the  two 
young  hearts,  in  which  a  thousand  thoughts 
revolved,  or  rather  one  thought  revolved  a 
thousand  times.  At  length,  Miss  Trueheart 
broke  the  silence,  with : 

"  Do  you  remember  this  field  ?" 

"  Indeed,  I  do.  I  was  just  thinking  of  the 
day  when  you  found  me,  as  I  thought,  dying. 
I  think  the  very  spot  is  just  ahead  of  us." 

"  Yes,  it  is.  I  judge  that  is  a  never-to-be- 
forgotten  day  in  your  history,"  said  Addie. 

"  It  is,  truly  ;  and  it  is  made  the  more  so 
by  the  fact  that  on  that  day  you  took  the 
key  that  unlocks  the  door  to  my  heart,  and 
it  is  yet  in  your  possession." 

Addie  watched  the  ground  closely,  but 
said  nothing.   Mr.  Graham,  continuing,  said  : 

"  I  told  vou  in  a  recent  letter  that  I  had  a 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  35 

secret  for  you,  and  you  alone.  Are  you  will- 
ing to  receive  it  ?" 

"  Mr.  Graham,  you  can  tell  me  the  secret, 
if  you  wish,  and  my  ear  alone  shall  hear  it, 
even  though  I  should  be  unable  to  treasure 
it  as  you  wish.  Of  this  you  may  be  sure, 
your  confidence  is  appreciated,  and  will  not 
be  abused." 

The  walk  continuing,  George  was  looking 
her  full  in  the  face,  and  his  eyes  bespoke 
great  earnestness  as  he  said,  "  I  love  you  as 
no  tongue  can  tell  or  pen  portray,  and  that 
is  my  secret. 

"  Say,  my  dearest  friend,  will  you  just 
here" — and  they  stopped,  standing  on  the 
very  spot  where  two  years  ago  Addie  had 
found  him  sinking  into  the  arms  ot  death — 
"  will  you  now,  just  here,  consent  to  link 
your  future  with  mine,  and  so  add  a  crown- 
ing blessing  to  the  life  you  saved?" 

As  she  stood  upon  the  soil  once  stained 
by  the  blood  of  her  present  suitor,  the  siu 
preme  moment  came,  and,  looking  up  into 
George  Graham's  face,  its  manly  sincerity 
gained  the  mastery  over  her  heart,  and  she 
modestly  said  : 

14  Be  it  as  you  wish." 


36  IOLA  ;    OR, 

And  as  they  sealed  the  vow,  Mr.  Graham 
said  : 

"  May  God  help  me  till  my  latest  sun  is 
sinking  low  to  defend  her  who  now  consents 
to  link  her  pure  life  with  mine,  that  I  may 
be  blessed.  All  that  I  am,  all  that  I  may 
be  in  this  life,  shall  be  yours." 

A  moment  of  sweet  silence  followed  the 
vows  of  plighted  love,  and,  wending  their 
way  slowly  homeward,  Mr.  Graham  modestly 
said  : 

11  May  I  seek  the  consent  of  your  parents 
to  our  marriage,  and  arrange  my  affairs  look- 
ing to  the  early  celebration  of  our  nup- 
tials?" 

"  To  the  first  part  of  your  request  I  do 
not  seriously  object,  but  I  hope  you  will  not 
insist  on  an  early  day  for  our  marriage." 

**  Why  would  you  delay  the  day  which,  of 
all  others,  would  bring  me  so  much  happi- 
ness?" 

"  I  know  of  no  special  reason,"  she  said, 
"  only  to  name  the  day  seems  to  bring  the 
fearful  responsibility  so  near  me.  But  speak 
to  my  parents,  and  then  we  will  consider  th§ 
matter  further." 

Early    the    following   day,    Mr.    Graham 


FACING    THE     TRUTH.  37 

sought  and  obtained  the  consent  of  Dr. 
Trueheart  and  his  wife  to  the  marriage. 

Returning  to  the  parlor,  he  made  known 
to  Addie  the  success  of  his  efforts,  and  again 
requested  her  to  name  the  day,  only  to  be 
assured  that  she  would  seriously  consider 
the  matter  and  report  later. 

November  12,  ^fter  an  hour's  parting  in- 
terview with  his  betrothed,  Mr.  Graham  bade 
her  good-bye,  and  returned  to  his  home,  a 
happier  man. 

By  December  1,  he  had  gained  her  consent 
to  January  7,  1866,  as  their  wedding  day. 

Now  all  is  attention  both  at  Wynan's 
Falls,  N.  C,  and  at  Dr.  Trueheart's  to  pre- 
parations for  the  happy  event.  By  the  ex- 
pressed wish  of  the  bride  expectant,  there 
was  to  be  no  foolish  display  on  the  occasion 
of  the  wedding  at  either  place. 


Chapter  VII. 

ANUARY  7,  at  12  o'clock  M.,  George 
r  Graham  alighted  from  the  carriage  in 
front  of  Dr.  Trueheart's  residence  to  find  a  few 
friends  gathered  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rickson, 


38  IOLA  ;   OR, 

the  officiating  clergyman,  and  being  informed 
of  the  readiness  of  all  parties  he  proceeded 
to  the  room  where  Addie  was  waiting  to  be- 
come his  bride. 

All  is  read}-.  They  appear  before  the 
minister.  The  ceremony  is  over,  and 
George  Graham  and  Addie  Trueheart  are 
man  and  wife. 

At  12  o'clock,  Jan.  8,  they  started  for 
Wynan's  Falls,  via  Petersburg,  Weldon  and 
Goldsboro,  where  they  arrived  at  io  o'clock 
P.  M.,  the  same  day, 

Jan.  9,  Mrs.  Graham  gave  her  son  and  his 
bride  a  reception,  which  was  attended  by  a 
large  number  of  their  friends  and  neighbors. 
An  elegant  dinner,  with  no  wine,  was  served. 
It  was  a  merry  occasion  and  the  welcome  to 
the  young  man  and  his  bride  was  very 
hearty.  No  doubt  to  George  Graham  it 
was  his  happiest  day  on  earth.  He  had 
cause  to  be  happy — he  had  won  the  love  of  a 
woman  worthy  of  the  heart  and  hand  of  any 
man. 

Time  passed  on — each  month  of  acquaint- 
ance with  Mrs.  Graham  tended  only  to  add 
to  her  popularity  in   the  community.     She 


Facing  the  truth.  39 

Was  recognized  as  a  truly  cultured  and  noble 
hearted  woman. 

Life  had  lavishly  blessed  them.  One  point 
only  had  entered  as  a  dividing  influence  — 
that  was  their  church  relations.  He  was  a 
Baptist,  she  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church.  No  word  had  been  said,  and  yet 
there  were  heartfelt,  bitter  pangs,  known 
only  to  Addie.  George  Graham  was  a  "  wool- 
dyed"  Baptist,  and  his  exclusiveness,  together 
with  occasional  sharp  "cuts"  at  the  denomi- 
nation to  which  his  devoted  wife  belonged, 
often  sank  to  the  very  depths  of  her  heart. 
She  alone  felt  the  pain  ;  she  would  not — it 
was  against  her  finer  feelings — resent  in 
like  terms  ;  besides,  her  church  had  made  it  a 
prominent  part  of  its  work  to  discourage 
doctrinal  disputes — not  kind  and  honest  dis- 
cussions of  thought.  In  short,  the  Baptists 
were  exclusive,  while  the  Christians  were 
liberal  and  brotherly  in  their  fellowship  to- 
ward all  disciples  of  Jesus.  Mrs.  Graham 
was  a  shining  example  of  this  peculiar  feature 
of  their  teachings.  She  patiently  bore  all 
his  thrusts  at  her  faith — she  would  not  re- 
taliate, or  speak  unkindly  of  her  husband's 
church.   But  she  saw  very  little,  or  no  change: 


40  I0LA  ;    OR, 

the  caustic  spirit  of  his  people  had  been  so 
implanted  in  his  nature  that  he  could  neither 
outgrow  it  nor  forget  it.  Her  love  helped 
her  to  bear  this  unnecessary  burden  as  his 
wife,  and  the  love  of  the  Master  helped  her 
— rconstrained  her,  for  Christ's  sake — to 
suffer  and  be  strong./^ 

At  length  a  great  trial  as  to  fellowship 
came  between  her  husband  and  herself.  She 
read  only  the  day  before  in  a  Virginia  paper 
a  very  touching  account  of  a  communion 
service  at  her  old  church.  It  told  how  the 
pastor  made  beautiful  remarks  on  the  suffer- 
ings and  death  of  the  Saviour,  setting  forth 
tenderly  the  brotherhood  of  God's  people, 
resulting  from  that  death.  He  showed  that 
the  supper  was  instituted  as  commemorative 
of  his  death  and  that  all  of  his  children  were 
to  join  in  its  celebration.  It  deeply  impressed 
her  mind.  She  felt  its  force,  for  not  since 
she  had  been  in  a  Baptist  family  had  she 
had  an  opportunity  to  join  in  the  celebration 
of  the  supper.  In  fact,  to-day  was  the  first 
time  she  had  been  at  church  on  an  occasion  of 
this  kind.  She  knew  full  well  the  rules,  but 
she  did  not  know  in  reality  the  pain  of  see- 
ing her  own  husband  refuse  to  give  to  her 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  41 

the  emblems.  Heretofore,  her  husband's 
"cuts"  at  her  faith  and  church  had  seemed 
as  possible  jokes,  but  now  that  he  refuses  to 
offer  her  the  emblems,  it  assumes  the  form 
of  reality.  She  did  so  yearn  for  the  privi- 
lege of  joining  him  at  the  table  and  with 
him  commemorate  the  sufferings  and  death 
of  the  Saviour.  She  felt  that  it  would  help 
her  to  a  better  life,  it  would  encourage  her 
and  her  husband  to  greater  diligence  in 
walking  the  narrow  way  together.  She 
could  not  see  why  they,  as  the  children  of  a 
common  Heavenly  Father,  could  not  go 
hand  in  hand  to  the  Lord's  table.  But  it 
could  not  be  so,  sectarianism  had  forbidden 
it,  and  this  Christian  wife  must  be  cut  off 
and  left  alone. 

During  the  week  following  this  event  the 
burden  was  heavier  than  ever;  the  strength 
of  her  will  and  character  enabled  her  to  bear 
the  cross  in  silence.  She  would  not  ask  him 
to  leave  his  church,  and  she  could  not  be  re- 
ceived into  it  with  him  because  of  her  reli- 
gious principles,  and  moreover  to  unite  with 
him  would  cut  her  off  from  the  fellowship 
of  a  Christian  father  and  mother  and  her 
own  dear  church. 


42  IOLA;    OR, 

Time  swept  rapidly  onward.  Little  was 
said  by  either  party  on  the  communion 
question,  though  Mrs.  Graham  rarely  passed 
a  day  that  was  not  overshadowed  by  the  sad 
thought  that  sectarianism  should  thus  put  a 
barrier  between  herself  and  her  husband  in 
their  religious  life.  With  this  exception 
they  had  lived  very  happily  together — they 
had  seen  much  of  the  sunshine  of  a  happy 
home. 

A  year  has  passed  since  their  marriage. 
Now  God  has  given  them  a  treasure — a  dear 
little  girl.  Her  name  is  Iola — it  was  the 
name  her  mother  chose.  From  that  time 
forward  Iola  Graham  was  the  center  of 
parental  affection  in  that  home. 


Chapter  VIII. 


f^HERE    is  the  Bible,  my  dear?"  said 
2  Mr.  Graham  to  his  wife,  and  he  added, 
'since  your   sickness,  everything  about   the 
house  seems  out  of  place." 

The   feeble  mother   pointed  to  the   Bible. 
It  was  the  first  time  he  had  conducted  family 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  43 

worship  since  her  illness.  The  lesson  he  read 
was   from  Proverbs  22.     He  began  to   read, 

11  A  good  name  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than 
great  riches,  and  loving  favor  rather  than 
silver  and  gold." 

In  the  prayer  following  this  lesson  he 
asked  the  Father  for  grace  for  himself  and 
wife  that  they  might  train  the  young  and 
tender  Iola  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  holding 
a  good  name  as  far  more  precious  than  great 
riches,  and  the  loving  favor  of  God  as  above 
silver  and  gold. 

In  after  years  it  seemed  as  if  this  prayer 
was  answered,  for  at  an  early  age  she  showed 
a  very  high  appreciation  of  a  good  name. 
She  was  reverent  in  her  conversation,  never 
making  trifling  remarks  about  sacred  and 
holy  things.  Her  parents  had  exercised 
great  care  in  her  training.  The  years  passed 
rapidly  away.  All  is  peace  in  that  house- 
hold, only  church  relations  are  the  same. 

Iola  was  growing  into  young  womanhood, 
and,  as  her  mother  had  given  special  atten- 
tion to  her  education,  she  was  quite  well 
prepared  to  enter  college  at  the  very  early 
age  of  12  years. 

But   the  particular    school   to   which   she 


'.* 


44  IOLA;   OR, 

should  go  was  a  question  on  which  her  fond 
parents  would  probably  not  agree.  The 
mother  expressed  a  wish  that  the  tender 
girl  might  be  trained — educated — in  an  un- 
sectarian  school,  but  her  father  objected  just 
here — he  wished  his  child  to  attend  the 
Hollins  Institute  school,  in  Virginia,  being 
secretly  determined  that  she  should  go  to  a 
Baptist  school.  He  loved  his  wife  very 
dearly,  he  even  remembered  her  brave  ser- 
vice in  his  behalf  on  the  bloody  hills  of 
Virginia,  but  that  could  not  touch  his  heart 
in  this  matter;  Iola  must  be  sent  to  a  Bap- 
tist school,  where  she  could  be  under  Bap- 
tist influences.  He  said  but  little,  mean- 
while he  was  quietly  laying  his  plans  to  send 
her  to   Hollins  Institute. 

As  the  time  to  go  drew  near,  he  put  in  a 
plea  for  Hollin's  on  the  ground  of  the  health 
of  the  place.  His  wife  yielded  gracefully, 
but  reluctantly.  She  knew  in  many  schools 
of  this  class  sectarian  influences  are  thrown 
around  the  pupils,  still,  she  hoped — prayed — 
that  her  child  might  escape.  She  felt  more 
concerned  because  Iola  was  her  only  child, 
dear  as  the  "  apple  of  the  eye  ;"  especially  is 
this   true    of    an  only,  dutiful   and    loving 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  45 

daughter,  and  Iola  was  all  of  this,  having 
never    intentionally  disobeyed   her  parents. 

In  September,  1879,  tne  question  was 
decided  and  Iola  was  sent  to  Hollins.  All 
moved  on  well,  apparently.  She  was  a  model 
school  girl — industrious  and  apt,  keeping  her 
studies  well  up. 

Of  course,  in  this  school  she  never  attended 
a  service  except  when  conducted  by  Baptists, 
and  necessarily  she  was  led  to  imbibe  Bap- 
tist views.  Though  she  had  made  no  pro- 
fession, had  never  confessed  Christ,  yet  she 
had  become  in  sentiment  a  Baptist,  "  of  the 
most  strictest  kind."  Then,  too,  the  timidity 
of  her  mother,  though  she  was  devotedly 
attached  to  the  Christian  Church,  had 
kept  her  silent  on  denominational  questions, 
while  her  father  had  been  the  most  pro- 
nounced Baptist,  even  bitter  against  other 
denominations.  All  this  had  deeply  im- 
pressed her  young  mind  and  led  her  to  be- 
come a  Baptist. 

She  had  attended  school  two  full  sessions. 
While  at  home,  in  vacation,  in  1881,  she  at- 
tended a  protracted  meeting  at  Broad  Creek- 
Baptist  church.  There  were  many  profes- 
sions, and  among  them  was    Iola    Graham. 


y 


46  IOLA;   OR, 

Of  course,  the  parents  rejoiced  at  the  con- 
version of  their  only  child.  At  the  close  of 
this  meeting  the  pastor,  Dr.  Jenkins,  preached 
a  doctrinal  sermon,  in  which  he  claimed  for 
the  Baptists  a  superiority  over  all  others  ;  in 
fact,  he  said  the  Baptist  church  was  the  only 
New  Testament  church,  all  others  being  off- 
shoots— lacking  in  the  strength  and  heart  of 
the  truth.  He  said  immersion  only  is  bap- 
tism, and  that  none  should  come  to  the 
Lord's  table  save  regularly  baptized  members 
of  regularly  constituted  Baptist  churches. 
He  said  when  Jesus  instituted  the  Lord's 
Supper,  none  but  his  disciples  were  present, 
and  that  baptism  preceded  the  supper.  He 
then  invited  young  converts  to  come  forward 
to  be  received  for  baptism. 

So  fully  had  Iola  Graham  imbibed  Baptist 
sentiments  while  in  their  school,  that  she 
was  the  first  to  go  forward  to  be  received 
into  the  fellowship  of  Broad  Creek  Baptist 
church.  Her  father  was  delighted  at  her 
choice.  While  it  brought  pleasure  to  his 
own  heart,  he  little  thought  of  the  pain  it 
cost  her  mother,  who,  though  saying  nothing, 
was  the  more  deeply  pained  at  the  thought 
that  in  the  tenderest  and  most  sacred  rela- 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  47 

tions  of  life,  in  their  spiritual  interests,  she 
should  be  cut  off  from  all  association  with 
her  own  husband  and  daughter — never  to 
have  the  privilege  of  their  fellowship,  but 
with  the  meekness  of  a  lamb  she  said  nothing. 

The  meeting  closed  and  Mr.  Graham,  his 
wife  and  daughter  returned  to  their  home, 
little  thinking  of  the  cloud  of  trouble  which, 
even  then,  veiled  that  mother's  heart, 
although  Mrs.  Graham  was  the  very  picture 
of  sadness.  As  they  came  near  to  their 
home,  Iola  said  innocently, 

"  Mother,  do  talk  some  for  us — surely  you 
are  not  sad  because  I  have  made  peace  with 
God — become  a  disciple  of  Jesus  ?" 

11  No,  iola  ;  I  am  glad  to  feel  that  my  only 
child  is  a  Christian.  There  could  nothing 
better  be  your  portion." 

For  a  moment  all  is  quiet.  Then  the  con- 
versation is  on  another  matter;  perhaps 
there  was  a  wish  to  change  the  subject, 
hoping  thereby  to  call  her  mind  away  from 
the  trouble  upon  which  it  dwelt.  After 
reaching  home  Mr.  Graham  and  Iola  were 
very  cheerful  and  happy,  but  the  dear  mother 
could  not  be  drawn  away  from  her  sadness, 


48 


IOLA  ;   OR, 


"  Dear  mother,  why  are  you  so  sad  all  the 
while  ?"  she  said,  as  she  gently  placed  her 
arms  about  her  neck. 

"  My  daughter,  I  have  my  troubles  like 
other  people.  However,  I  think  it  is  best 
not  to  speak  of  them.  I  hope  some  day  to 
be  as  cheerful  as  you  wish  me  to  be,  but  for 
the  present  I  feel  that  duty  calls  me  to  bear 
my  sadness  in  secret." 

It  was  very  strange  to  Iola,  in  the  fulness 
of  her  new  faith,  that  her  mother,  a  Chris- 
tian, should  be  so  sad.  She  was  rejoicing 
in  the  sweet  happiness  of  sins  forgiven. 


Chapter  IX. 


jfHE  passing  days  brought  no  perceptible 
change  in  Mrs.  Graham's  melancholy 
state.  She  was  often  seen  sitting  gazing  at 
Iola,  and  then  arising  she  would  retire  to 
some  private  place,  saying  :  'k  I  am  so  alone." 
This  remark  was  heard  repeatedly,  but  its 
interpretation  could  not  be  known.  Time 
glided   swiftly  on,  and    the  father  and  the 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


49 


"  Dear  mother,   why  are  you  so  sad  all  the  while?"  she 
said,  as  she  gently  placed  her  arms  about  her  neck. 


50  IOLA  ;   OR, 

daughter  felt  the  dread  approach  of  some 
trouble — to  them  unknown. 

A  business  meeting  of  Broad  Creek  church 
had  been  announced  for  the  following  Sat- 
urday, and  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  for  the  Sabbath.  Iola  and  her  father 
being  members,  attended  the  services,  leav- 
ing Mrs.  Graham  at  home.  It  was  unusual 
for  father  and  daughter  to  go  without  the 
mother.  The  good-bye  kiss  was  warmly 
given,  and  the  beautiful  Iola  lingered  a  few 
moments,  manifesting  tenderness  and  con- 
cern for  her  mother.  Finally  she  said, 
"  Good-bye,  mother  dear ;  you  must  be  real 
cheerful  while  father  and  I  are  away.  We 
will  be  home  early — by  4  o'clock  this  after- 
noon, I  suppose." 

Mrs.  Graham  lingered  about  the  door, 
watching  the  departure  of  those  nearest  and 
dearest  to  her  on  earth.  She  was  casting  an 
eager,  watchful  eye  after  them  as  they  turned 
the  last  corner  and   were  gone. 

Turning  to  go  to  her  room,  she  remarked, 
in  a  half  congratulatory  manner,  "  I  have 
the  dearest  husband  and  the  sweetest 
daughter" — but  just  then  her  heart  was 
crushed  with  the  thought   that   while  they 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  5 1 

all  loved  and  served  the  same  Saviour,  she 
as  the  Christian  wife  and  mother  could  never 
be  permitted  to  join  them  in  commemora- 
ting the  death  of  Jesus  around  the  Lord's 
table. 

This  picture  grew  rapidly  in  her  mind  till 
it  became  burdensome,  unbearable.  She 
hastened  to  her  closet,  and  under  this  weight 
she  bowed  in  prayer.  A  weak,  tremulous 
voice  is  pleading  with  iis  God  for  strength 
to  bear  the  burden.     Hear  her  pitiful  wail  : 

"  Oh  !  God,"  she  cries,  "  help  me  to  endure 
this  pain  and  misery  of  heart — I  am  so  alone, 
cut  off  and  disfellowshiped  by  my  own  hus- 
band and  my  dear  child."  Then,  as  if  to 
herself,  she  said  in  a  half  rambling  way: 

"  Will  they  never  come  back  to  me?  Can 
I  never  join  them  in  commemorating  the 
sufferings  and  death  of  my  Saviour  at  the 
Lord's  table?" 

Here,  as  if  in  a  semi-conscious  state  of 
mind,  in  her  grief,  she  appealed  pitifully  to 
God  to  bring  them  back,  or  to  take  them 
all — father,  mother  and  child — together  to 
a  place  where  no  sectarian  church  rules  can 
thus  divide  a  warm  hearted  Christian  family 
in  the  service  and  worship  of  God. 


52  IOLA;    OR, 

Here  her  prayer  abruptly  ceased,  and  she 
started,  as  if  she  saw  before  her  the  land  of 
some  sacred  Utopia,  where  no  exclusiveness 

in  the  church  would  separate  and  divide  her 

it 

own  dear  family.  Her  bewildered  mind 
vainly  supposed  this  land  was  nigh,  and  she 
followed,  all  unconsciously,  its  leading.  She 
left  her  home  in  quest  of  this  blessed  place — 
she  wandered,  searching  for  the  place  of 
which  she  had  been  dreaming  in  her  derange- 
ment, for  she  was  a  deranged  woman.  In 
her  wanderings,  afoot  and  alone,  she  was 
impelled  onward  under  the  vain  hope  that 
somewhere  she  would  meet  her  loved  hus- 
band and  daughter,  freed  from  the  manacles 
of  sectarian  bigotry. 

The  prospect  of  such  a  happy  event  allures 
her.  The  more  she  contemplates  the  possi- 
bility, the  more  rapidly  she  travels,  each 
step  talrnig  her  from  her  home  and  loved 
.  ones,  and  further  into  the  wild  woods.  Only 
God  can  keep  her  while  she  thus  wanders. 
May  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  encamp  round 
about  her,  and  safely  deliver  her  from  the 
perils  of  this  sad  moment  in  her  history. 

At  4  o'clock  p.  m.,  Mr.  Graham  and  Iola 
returned,  both  in  fine  spirits,  having  much 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  53 

enjoyed  the  meeting  at  Broad  Creek,  pre- 
paratory to  the  communion  service  on  the 
Sabbath.  As  they  alighted  from  their  car- 
riage, Iola  hastened  to  her  mother's  room  to 
give  her  the  first  kiss.  She  entered  with  a 
gay  and  happy  heart,  but  alas!  poor  child, 
her  joy  was  quickly  turned  into  grief — her 
mother  was  not  there.  She  hurried  from 
room  to  room,  but  in  vain.  Alarmed,  she 
ran  to  her  father,  crying,  "  Oh  !  where  is 
mother?  I  have  searched  every  room  in  the 
house  ;  I  cannot  find  her.  Oh  !  father,  where 
can  she  be  ?" 

"Do  not  be  alarmed,  my  daughter;  your 
mother  must  be  about  the  premises." 

While  he  sought  thus  to  console  Iola,  he 
had  had  himself  for  several  days  forebodings 
of  coming  trouble.  It  had  seemed  to  be 
hanging  over  his  very  pathway  as  a  dark, 
portentous  cloud.  Iola,  too,  had  similar 
misgivings  of  impending  danger,  but  both 
had  kept  their  fears  strictly  to  themselves. 
Quickly  the  search  was  renewed,  Mr.  Gra- 
ham joining  Iola ;  they  looked  here,  there, 
everywhere,  in  their  reach,  but  found  her 
not. 


54  IOLA;   OR, 

They  stopped  in  their  bewildered  search 
a  moment,  to  think— just  then  Iola  said  : 

"  Father,  I  fear  some  ill.  Do  you  not 
know  mother  has  been  so  sad  of  late? 
When  I  asked  her  the  cause  of  it,  she  re- 
plied, '  It  is  best  not  to  make  it  known.' 
Oh  !  father,  I  am  so  afraid  my  dear,  sweet 
mother  is  gone  where  I  shall  see  her  no 
more." 

Just  then  neighbor  Mcintosh  said  she  was 
seen  about  one  o'clock,  going  toward  the 
Great  Pocosin.  They  hastened  in  that  di- 
rection. For  an  hour  they  sought  her  in 
vain.  Night  was  near  at  hand,  and  the 
thought  of  mother  spending  it  in  the  lonely 
woods  as  a  wanderer  in  its  darkness  was 
more  than  the  devoted  daughter  could 
bear.  The  search  was  kept  up,  and  just 
as  the  golden  glories  of  a  lovely  sunset 
were  fading  into  the  evening  twilight, 
they  saw  in  the  distance  what  seemed  to  be 
two  persons  approaching,  and  soon  Iola  rec- 
ognized one  of  them  as  her  mother,  who 
had  been  found  wandering  in  the  woods  by 
Mr.  Jason,  with  whom  the  Grahams  had  a 
slight  acquaintance,  and  he  had  kindly  taken 
her  in  charge  and  was  leading  her  homeward. 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  55 

A  little  nearer,  and  Iola  exclaimed,  "  My 
mother!"  and  Mrs.  Graham,  looking  up,  saw 
her  husband  and  daughter,  and  in  a  moment 
she  was  in  their  embrace.  She  seemed  de- 
lighted at  meeting  them,  doubtless  suppos- 
ing she  had  reached  the  happy  abode  for 
which  she  was  searching,  where  sectarian 
rules  could  never  again  divide  and  put  bar- 
riers in  the  way  of  their  happiness  and  re- 
ligious peace — a  place  which  she  fancied 
would  bring  the  much  desired  opportunity 
of  joining  her  husband  and  child  with  other 
Christians  in  commemorating  the  sufferings 
ard  death  of  the  Saviour  in  the  celebration 
of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Mr.  Graham's  voice,  as  he  spoke,  seemed 
to  break  the  spell  of  derangement  under 
which  she  was  wandering,  and  as  he  saw  the 
return  of  reason,  he  very  tenderly  said  : 

11  Oh,  Addie  !  My  dear  wife,  how  came 
you  here,  and  what  is  the  matter?" 

This  fully  caught  her  attention,  and  she 
answered  : 

"  My  husband,  you  have  always  been  so 
tender,  so  devoted  to  me,  and  then  the  cir- 
cumstances of  our  early  love  were  of  such  a 
character  as  to  make  our  union   doubly  sa- 


56  IOLA;   OR, 

cred.  I  have  been  yours  in  the  fullest  sense 
of  the  word  from  the  time  of  our  marriage, 
and  my  life  has  been  given  to  your  happi- 
ness, so  that  even  the  appearance  of  separa- 
tion has  well  nigh  crazed  my  mind." 

"  Separation  !  How,  my  dear  wife  ?"  anx- 
iously asked  Mr.  Graham. 

"Well,  in  this  way:  I  have  always  been 
cut  off  from  you  in  our  spiritual  relations  by 
the  rules  of  your  church.  Perhaps  a  thous- 
and times  my  heart  has  ached  because  of 
this  unfortunate  fact  in  our  experience  ;  and 
many  a  time  have  my  cheeks  been  bathed 
with  the  scalding  tears  of  my  grief,  all  be- 
cause you  could  not  permit  me  to  join  you 
in  celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper.  It  has 
been  the  one  ungratified  desire  of  my  Chris- 
tian experience,  and  yet  I  made  up  my  mind, 
for  your  sake,  to  bear  this  burden  in  silence 
as  best  I  could.  I  thought  I  was  succeed- 
ing, till  a  few  days  ago — when  I  saw  my  only 
child,  Iola,  cut  me  off  from  fellowship  with 
her  by  joining  your  church.  From  that 
moment  my  heart  was  pierced  with  the  dart 
of  despair.  The  thought  of  never,  never 
being  permitted  to  join  any  of  the  members 
of  my  own  dear  little  family  in  the  commun- 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  5? 

ion  service,  troubled  me  ;  it  haunted  me  by 
day,  and  in  my  sleep  my  dreams  intensified 
my  sufferings. 


Chapter  X. 

'HEN  you  and  Iola  left  this  morning 
to  go  to  Broad  Creek  church,  I  felt 
more  keenly  than  ever  the  pang  of  this 
trouble.  I  went  to  my  place  of  secret  prayer. 
Suddenly  I  felt  moved  to  go  in  quest  of  a 
place  where  the  church  rules  would  not  make 
me  so  unhappy.  I  started.  I  soon  lost  my 
way — I  wandered,  and  when  I  met  you  and 
Iola,  my  first  thought  was — how  mistaken  ! — 
that  I  had  found  my  sacred  Utopia,  where 
I  would  no  more  hear  the  harsh  and  unkind 
criticisms  simply  because  I  differ  from  others 
on  questions  of  minor  importance,  or  rather 
on  matters  of  mere  opinion  ;  where  I  should 
be  heartily  welcomed  to  the  privileges  of 
the  church  with  my  own  husband  and  child. 
Oh  !  it  all  now  seems  so  much  like  a  dream 

to  me,  but  I  see  I  am  not   at  home;  let  me 

» > 
go   — 


58  IOLA;   OR, 

During  this  explanation  Iola  stood  look- 
ing and  listening — almost  bewildered.  Her 
heart  trembled  for  her  mother's  safety,  and 
she  said,  in  a  manner  expressive  of  tenderest 
love  and   sweet  assurance  : 

"  My  precious  mother,  make  yourself  con- 
tented. Come,  let  us  go  home,  and  you 
shall  no  more  be  cut  off  from  my  fellowship 
as  one  of  God's  children." 

While  Mrs.  Graham  would  not  have  her 
child  sacrifice  principle,  except  upon  con- 
viction that  the  principle  is  wrong,  still  these 
words  comforted  her  weary  spirit.  The  as- 
surance was  a  balm  to  her  wounded  heart. 

Iola  could  not  say  why  they  had  not  ear- 
lier seen  the  nature  of  her  mother's  sadness, 
though  Mr.  Graham,  while  restless,  had  but 
very  little  to  say.  Evidently  he  was  weep- 
ing at  heart  over  the  sad  condition  of  his 
wife,  but  clinging  with  a  strong  grip  to  his 
sectarian  views — he  was  divided,  and  his 
love  was  struggling,  not  between  his  wife 
and  his  religion,  or  his  faith  in  God,  but  be- 
tween his  wife  and  the  human  dogmas  of  a 
sectarian  church.  The  spectacle  was  a  sad 
one. 

Reaching   home     early  in    the   night    the 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  59 

weary  mother  was  soon  sleeping  very  sweetly. 
Perhaps  the  presence  of  the  angels  calmed 
her  troubled  spirit  and  gave  her  the  blessed 
rest  she  so  much  needed.  We  are  told,  you 
know,  that  "  the  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth 
round  about  them  that  fear  Him." 

While  the  mother  slept,  father  and  daugh- 
ter talked  the  matter  over.  Many  expres- 
sions of  regret  fell  from  Iola's  lips  because  of 
the  sad  occurrence  of  that  day,  and  in  their 
absence,  too.  For  a  few  moments  the  depths 
of  their  pain  found  expression  only  in  sighs. 
At  length  Iola  kindly  said  : 

11  Father,  there  must  be  something  wrong 
in  the  close-communion  practice  of  our 
church,  for  I  do  believe  my  dear  mother  is  a 
christian,  and  if  so,  as  such  she  has  a  clear 
right  to  all  the  privileges  at  the  Lord's 
table — just  as  much  as  you  or  any  other  one 
of  his  children,  I  see  no  reason  why  they 
should  not  allow — even  invite — her,  and  all 
true  christians,  to  the  Lord's  Supper  to- 
gether.    Can  you  ?" 

"  My  child,  since  tnis  is  the  Lord's  table — 
and  not  ours — we  have  no  right  to  invite 
any  one  to  it." 

"Then,   father,  I    understand  you  to   say 


60  IOLA  ;     OR, 

the  Lord  withholds  from  you  the  right  to 
invite  any  one  to  the  table,  and  at  the  same 
time  gives  you  the  privilege  to  keep  some  of 
his  children  away?" 

"  This  is  no  time  to  ask  or  answer  any 
such  questions,"  and  he  walked  out,  leaving 
Iola  standing  bewildered  at  his  reply. 

She  spent  the  remainder  of  the  night 
quietly  in  the  sick  room.  In  the  early  morn- 
ing, as  she  was  about  to  leave  the  chamber 
where  her  mother  was  so  sweetly  sleeping, 
she  pressed  one  more  tender  kiss  upon  her 
sad,  pale  cheek,  when  Mrs.  Graham  awoke, 
to  be  greeted  so  pleasantly  with, 

"  Good  morning,  mother;  I  hope  you  are 
feeling  better,  you  look  much  refreshed."  It 
was  Iola  speaking  to  her  mother,  who  feebly 
responded, 

"Thank  you,  daughter;  I  do  feel  better 
and  yet  not  well,— I  had  such  a  hard  day 
yesterday." 

"Yes,  mother,  I  am  deeply  pained  to 
know  that  any  act  of  mine  should  have  given 
you  trouble.  The  selfish  practice  of  our 
church  in  keeping  other  christians  from  the 
Lord's  table  does  annoy  me  no  little,  but 
father  says  it  is  all  proper,  and  yet,  I  do  feel 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  6l 

that  my  dear  mother  ought  to  be  permitted 
to  partake  with  me,  and  others  of  my  faith 
and  order,  of  the  Lord's  Supper." 

"Ah!  child,  I  cannot  expect  it  in  this 
life — you  and  your  father  are  such  strong 
Baptists  :  but  your  course  toward  me  has 
cost  me  many  a  pang  of  heart-sorrow,  many 
an  hour  of  silent,  but  bitter  weeping.  When 
I  could  look  forward  to  a  possible  fellowship 
with  my  only  child,  that  in  part  made  up  for 
the  loneliness  I  had  on  account  of  your 
father's  being  cut  off  from  me,  or  I  cut  off 
from  him,  by  the  rules  of  his  church  ;  but 
now  you  have  joined  with  him,  and  I  am 
more  lonely.  My  dear  child,  I  wish  you  to 
be  happy  and  belong  to  the  church  of  your 
choice,  but  when  I  saw  that  you  had  cut  me 
off  from  your  fellowship,  I  felt  I  could  not 
endure  it — the  loss  to  me  was  incalculable. 
No  doubt  this  fact  gave  me  the  nervous 
shock  of  yesterday  and  brought  me  to  my 
present  weakness.  You  see  this  had  been 
working  on  me,  even  before  your  conversion, 
for  your  father,  dear,  good  man  that  he  is, 
never  could  look  with  favor  on  my  church, 
and  often,  perhaps  unthoughtedly,  he  would 
say  hard  things  about  my  people.     So  when 


62  IOLA  ;    OR, 

I  saw  you  join  his  church,  it  cast  a  piercing 
dart  through  the  last  hope  I  had  of  having 
the  fellowship  and  companionship,  spiritually, 
of  any  of  my  own  family  in  this  life.  As  I 
thought  of  this  my  heart  yearned  for  the 
blessed  land  where  these  narrow  views  will 
be  buried  forever.  I  was  praying  over  this 
very  matter  when  my  mind  seemed  to  leap 
toward  such  a  spiritual  Utopia  and  beyond 
my  control.  It  seems  now  like  a  dream.  I 
remember  thinking  I  could  find  you  and 
your  father  there,  and  I  started,  as  I  thought, 
with  a  bright  hope  before  me,  but  it  was  a 
vain  journey,  for  though  I  found  you,  or 
rather  you  found  me,  still  you  both  are  the 
same  exclusive  Baptists  as  before." 

"  Mother,"  said  Iola,  "  please  do  not  worry 
yourself  over  this  matter — it  can  do  no  good 
and  may  make  you  worse.  I  hope  it  will  be 
all  made  right  sometime," 

"Yes,  child,  it  will,  but  not  till  we  meet  in 
Heaven.  The  lines  and  walls  of  partition 
your  people  have  built  too  strongly  ever  to 
encourage  or  permit  union  among  God's 
people," 

"Maybe  not,   mother;  at  any   rate,  I   am 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  63 

most  anxious  that  you  shall  not  make  your- 
self worse  by  studying  and  talking  about  it." 

11  I  would  love  to  get  well  and  strong 
again,  but,  my  daughter,  I  do  not  now  ex- 
pect that.  I  have  felt  for  some  time  that 
my  days  are  nearly  ended — the  impression 
has  been  deeply  fixed  in  my  mind  since  the 
night  before  you  were  converted  at  Broad 
Creek  church.  I  have  not  spoken  of  my 
dream  to  any  person,  but " 

"  Tell  it  to  me,  mother,  can't  you  ?"  asked 
Iola. 

11  Well,  I  can  if  you  wish.  I  had  in  a 
dream  a  sort  of  vision.  Your  father,  your- 
self and  I  were  in  a  beautiful  church.  The 
congregation  was  large.  In  front  of  the 
altar  was  spread  the  Lord's  Supper.  I  heard 
the  minister  give  the  invitation  to  join  in 
the  celebration  of  this  most  sacred  sacrament. 
It  was  to  all  of  God's  believing  children 
present.  Then  your  father  led  the  way,  and 
you  and  I  followed.  We  bowed  around  the 
table.  It  was  the  first  time  my  poor  heart 
had  had  its  yearning  ^gratified.  I  was  so 
happy,  language  can  not  tell  it — my  soul 
was  thrilled,  delighted.  As  we  arose,  an 
angel    seemed  to    be  hovering    above    the 


6\  IOLA;   OR, 

sacred  emblems,  bearing  a  scroll,  upon  which 
was  written  the  words  of  Jesus  at  the  insti- 
tution of  the  Lord's  Supper: 

'  Drink  ye  all  of  it.' — Matt.  26  :  27. 

'  And  they  all  drank  of  it.  —Mark  14  :  23. 

"At  the  conclusion  of  this  delightful  ser- 
vice, we  all  joined  in  singing  these  words: 

1  My  span  of  life  will  soon  be  done, 
The  passing  moments  say.' 

"  The  next  day  you  took  your  stand  on  the 
Lord's  side.  I  was  happy  again  at  the 
thought  that  my  child  was  a  christian.  But 
when  you  joined  Broad  Creek  Baptist  church 
my  hopes  fled,  not  that  I  would  object  to 
your  choice,  only  that  thereby  you  cut  me 
off  from  your  fellowship. 

"  There  is  a  significance  in  the  inscription 
on  that  scroll.  I  think  it  plainly  says  that 
Jesus  did  not  forbid  any  of  his  believing 
children  to  join  in  the  supper.  The  first 
commands  all — not  a  part  of  them — to  drink 
of  it,  and  the  second  says  they  did  all — not 
a  part — drink  of  it. 

"  When  I  saw  you  unite  with  the  Baptists 
my  dream  came  back,  as  a  vision  before  me. 
It  seemed  to  say,  this  much  was  given  you 
as  a  foretaste  of  the  happy   union  of   your 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  65 

family  in  Heaven,  for  while  you  have  never 
shared  in  the  bliss  of  such  a  scene  on  earth, 
(and  you  never  will,)  the  joy  shall  be  yours  in 
"  the  sweet  bye  and  bye." 

Just  then  I  heard,  as  from  the  tongue  of 
a  whispering  angel,  these  comforting  words: 

"  Courage,  my  soul !  thy  bitter  cross, 
Tu  every  trial  here, 
Shall  bear  thee  to  thy  Heaven  above, 
But  shall  not  enter  there." 

"Thus,  my  dear  child,  I  have  been  led  to 
feel  that  my  end  is  near.  If  so,  I  will  leave 
you  in  the  hands  of  my  Heavenly  Father. 
May  He  be  your  Protector  and  Guide.  I 
hope  to  meet  you  in  Heaven;  we'll  find  no 
traces  of  this  exclusive  spirit  there.  I  believe 
you  and  your  father  will  be  able  to  greet  me 
there  as  one  of  the  redeemed." 

"  I  hope  so,  dear  mother.  In  Heaven  I 
think  we  shall  have  no  church  rules  to  stir 
up  strife  and  divide  the  great  family  of  God." 

Seeing  she  was  weary,  she  retired  from  the 
room  to  give  her  a  chance  to  rest.  At  the 
dinner  table  she  told  her  father  of  what  her 
mother  had  said  during  the  morning.  As  she 
alluded  to  her  being  cut  off  from  their  fellow- 
ship,   she  showed    signs    of  deep    emotion. 

3 


66  IOLA;   OR, 

Finally,    looking  up    into  her   father's   face 
through  blinding  tears,  she  said : 

*'  Father,  I  fear  we  shall  not  have  mother 
with  us  much  longer,  she  is  so  sad,  despon- 
dent ;  and  what  hurts  me  so  deeply  is,  that 
she  seems  insane  with  grief  because  our 
church  cannot  allow  her  to  join  us,  or  us  to 
join  her  at  the  communion  table.  I  am  so 
sorry  it  is  so.  Father,  is  there  no  way  this 
privilege  can  be  given  her?" 

"  None  whatever.  She  will  not  join  us 
and  be  rebaptized,  and  nothing  short  of 
that  could  ever  allow  her  to  go  with  us  to 
the  Lord's  table." 

"  Father,  are  you  fully  satisfied  that  our 
church  is  right  on  that  point  V 

"  Well,  yes,  I  think  so.     Why?" 

"  Somehow  it  seems  hard  to  divide  a 
family  in  this  manner.  I  believe  my  suffer- 
ing mother  is  just  as  truly  a  Christian 
before  God  and  man  as  any  of  us," 

"  It  will  do  no  good,  Iola,  to  talk  of  this 
matter,  so  let  us  drop  it ;"  and  the  young 
girl  reluctantly  consented,  for  she  was  anx- 
ious to  give  this  question  a  full  examination 
to  see  what  is  right, 


Facing  the  truth.  67 


Chapter  XL 

?ROM  the  dining  hall  they  went  together 
I  to  Mrs.  Graham's  room.  As  they  en- 
tered the  mother  awoke  and  Iola  saw 
in  the  short  time  of  her  absence  she  had 
grown  worse.  A  chill  had  seized  her.  The 
doctor  was  recalled  at  once.  After  a  care- 
ful examination  of  her  symptoms  a  prescrip- 
tion was  given.  The  doctor  was  leaving, 
and  Mr.  Graham  anxiously  inquired  as  to  his 
wife's  condition,  only  to  be  assured  that  her 
case  was  a  serious  one,  being  in  danger  of 
pneumonia  from  cold  taken  on  the  day  of 
her  wandering  from  home.  "You  have  cause 
to  be  anxious,"  said  the  doctor,  "but  I  will 
do  all  in  my  power  for  her  relief." 

When  Dr.  Johnson  called  again  he  found 
his  patient  had  grown  worse.  His  opinion 
sent  alarm  into  the  family.  Under  the  most 
skilful  treatment  she  grew  worse,  and  each 
day  added  to  her  weakness. 

Mrs.  Graham's  condition  greatly  troubled 
her  husband.  As  is  frequently  the  case,  the 
husband  of   a  dying  wife,  reviews   his  life  as 


63  tOLA;  OR, 

her~companion.  Beginning  with  the  scene 
on  the  hills  of  Bermuda  Hundreds  when  he 
was  dying,  as  he  supposed,  away  from  loved 
ones,  with  no  gentle  hand  to  assist  him  in 
this  terrible  struggle,  their  married  lives 
passed  as  in  a  panoramic  view.  He  felt  the 
pangs  of  grief  striking  deeper  into  his  heart 
as  each  scene  came  up,  till  the  one  showing 
how  the  exclusiveness  of  his  religious  life 
had  so  wrought  upon  his  wife  as  to  bring 
trouble  and  finally  terminating  in  wrecking 
her  mind  and  health,  and  now  she  is  pros- 
trated in  sickness,  it  may  be  unto  death. 
Here  the  picture  brought  a  shudder  of  fear 
upon  him — he  trembled  at  the  thought 
that  his  conduct,  religiously,  toward  his  wife 
should  have  had  such  results.  He  tried  to 
shift  the  responsibility  from  his  own  should- 
ers under  the  pretext  of  faithfulness  to  his 
religious  convictions,  or  as  he  expressed  it, 
"  I  must  serve  God  rather  than  man."  But 
a  still  small  voice  whispered  into  his  ear 
these  words:  "A  selfish  exclusiveness  is  ser- 
vice to  the  traditions  of  men  rather  than 
service  to  God."  Then  he  caught  himself 
repeating  that  passage  of  scripture  which 
says:    "But    in    vain  do  they   worship    me 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  69 

teaching    for  doctrines   the  commandments 
of  men."     See  Matt.  15:9. 

It  is  Sunday  morning.  Mrs.  Graham  has 
grown  rapidly  worse  since  the  doctor  left 
her  the  night  before.  She  is  sinking.  This 
fact  was  made  known  to  Mr.  Graham  and 
Iola.  They  came  to  her  bedside.  As  the 
husband  stood  looking  upon  the  form  of  his 
dying  companion,  his  heart  throbbed  with 
grief.  He  was  speechless  from  heart  anguish 
— he  kissed  devotedly  the  pale  face,  and 
turned  aside  to  weep  in  tears  of  sorrow  and 
regret. 

Iola,  poor  child,  summoning  all  the  spirit 
she  could,  ventured  to  speak  to  her  dying 
mother. 

"  Mother,"  she  said,  "  do  you  know  you 
are  nearing  the  pearly  gates  of  Heaven  ?" 

Turning  her  feeble  eyes  upon  Iola,  she 
answered  : 

"  I  do  not  know,  my  child  ;  if  so,  it  is  well, 
and  I  am  ready  to  go  home.  The  way  has 
been  a  difficult  one,  but  if  the  end  be  near  I 
have  a  bright  hope  of  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"  My  dear  mother,  the  doctor  says  you 
can   not  be  with  us    long,"  and  the  young 


70  10LA;   OR, 

girl's  heart  heaved,  as  the  troubled  sea,  with 
the  depths  of  pain  and  sorrow.  As  she  stood 
by  her  thus  talking,  she  pressed  many  a 
warm  kiss  upon  the  cold  face  of  her  dying 
mother.  Seeing  the  end  was  so  near,  the 
devoted  child  said  : 

"  Mother,  give  me  a  parting  word,  ere 
you  go  home,  to  comfort  and  encourage  and 
guide  me  when  I  am  left  a  motherless  girl." 

"My  daughter,  take  care  of  your  father  and 
of  yourself,  but  more  than  all  seek  to  walk 
close  with  God — be  a  christian,  and  then  I 
shall  meet  you  on  the  shining  shore — in 
Heaven.  There  will  be  no  sorrow  there. 
There  will  be  no  heartless  church  rules  to 
drive'one  into  agony  of  mind — there  will  be 
no  division  among  us,  and  I  shall  for  the 
first  time  meet  you  equal  in  privileges.  I 
shall  hear  no  more  harsh  and  unkind  thrusts 
at  God's  people,  simply  because  of  mere 
differences  in  opinion,  and  we  shall  all  be 
happy  together — members  of  one  great 
family,  children  of  a  common  Father,  and,  as 
such,  we  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  privileges 
of  that  blessed  home.     But  listen! 

'  There  are  angels  hovering  'round, 
To  carry  your  mother  home.' 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  7 1 

And  then  the  silence  was  intense — the 
dreadful  and  rapid  advance  of  death  hushed 
every  mouth  and  stilled  every  movement. 
To  the  ear  of  the  dying  mother  only  was 
heard  the  sweet  strains  of  music  from  the 
angels'  harps.  With  her  eyes  fixed  on  the 
sweet  fields  of  Eden,  she  reached  forth  her 
hands  and  repeating  odd  lines  of  a  grand 
old  hymn,  she  said  : 

"  Let  me  go  where  saints  are  going, — 

Le:  me  go,  I'd  cease  this  dying, 
Let  me  go,  for  bliss  eternal 

Lures  my  soul  away — away, 
And  the  victor's  song  triumphant 

Thrills  my  heart — I  can  not  stay — 
I  would  gain  life's  fairer  plains  ; 

Let  me  join  the  myriad  harpers, 
Let  me  chant  their  rapturous  strains, 

For  the  joyous  songs  of  glory 
Call  me  to  a  happier  home." 

One  brief  moment  of  gasping,  and  the 
struggle  was  over — Addie  Trueheart  Gra- 
ham was  with  her  God. 

Father  and  daughter  were  buried  in  sor- 
row. They  had  a  double  burden,  for  with 
their  grief  was  mixed  a  dread  of  having  un- 
necessarily distressed  by  their  religious  ex- 
clusiveness  the  dear  wife  and  mother  whose 


72  IOLA  ;   OR, 

lifeless  body  now  sleeps  before  them  in 
death.     Of  this,  however,  nothing-  was  said. 

A  dispatch  was  sent  to  her  old  pastor  to 
conduct  the  services  at  her  burial,  which 
took  place  on  Tuesday  at  noon.  The  words 
he  used  for  the  text  were:  "Precious  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his  saints." 
A  large  number  of  people  attended  the  ser- 
vices and  burial  of  this  noble  woman. 

They  made  her  grave  beneath  the  spread- 
ing branches  of  a  massive  tree  in  the  family 
graveyard. 


Chapter  XII. 

sOT  a  week  had  passed  since  the  death 
of  Mrs.  Graham  when  Mr.  Graham 
observed  a  sadness  in  Iola  which  he  could 
not  attribute  to  the  death  of  her  mother. 
Every  expression  in  her  countenance  por- 
trayed a  restless  anxiety  not  characteristic 
of  her  earliest  grief  over  the  grave  of  her 
mother.  Confident  that  some  unusual  bur- 
den of  grief  had  been  added  to  her  loss, 
he  determined    to   have  an    interview  with 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


73 


"  They  made  her  grave    beneath  the   spreading  branches  of 
a   massive  tree  in   the  family  graveyard." 


74  IOLA;  or, 

his  daughter,  and,  if  possible,  obtain  an 
explanation  of  this  restless  spirit  now  so 
clearly  manifested  in  all  her  actions.  The 
days  passed  on  till  Sunday  afternoon — 
just  two  weeks  after  Mrs.  Graham's  death — 
when  he  met  Iola  in  the  parlor  alone,  and 
addressing  her  in  a   fatherly  way,  he  said  : 

11  Iola,  my  dear  child,  I  know  you  bear  a 
heavy  burden  of  grief  in  the  death  of  your 
mother,  and  yet,  I  have  thought  for  some 
days  that  you  have  some  sorrow  weighing 
upon  your  young  heart  aside  from  her  death. 
I  Wish  you  to  tell  me  just  what  it  is." 

"  Father,"  she  said,  "  I  could  tell  you,  but 
I  am  impressed  that  it  might  be  wise  not  to 
do  so." 

''Why,  daughter,  I  do  not  understand 
you — you  alarm  me!" 

11  No  alarm,  father;  I  am  willing  that  you 
should  know  all  of  my  troubles — I  only 
thought  it  expedient  to  bear  the  burden 
alone,  still  if  you  insist,  you  may  know  it," 
and  she  proceeded,  as  follows: 

"  You  know,  father,  the  sad  circum- 
stances which  led  to  mother's  illness,  and 
perhaps  to  her  death.  Since  I  understood 
that  it  was  our  religious  exclusiveness  that 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  75 

so  troubled  her,  and,  as  I  fear,  deranged  her 
mind,  I  have  had  all  I  could  think  about, 
and  I  am  not  surprised  that  you  have  ob- 
served new  trouble  in  my  face.  I  have  been 
examining  the  close  communion  question. 
I  have  brought  it  down  beside  the  plain 
teachings  of  the  Bible.  Mother's  trouble 
gave  me  much  pain  before,  and  now,  since  I 
have  studied  the  subject  closely  in  the  light 
of  the  Bible,  I  am  simply  miserable  ;  for  I 
feel  that,  in  our  blindness,  we  have  followed 
the  teachings  of  man,  as  to  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, to  the  loss  of  my  dear  mother,  while  the 
Bible  is  plainly  in  favor  of  the  views  she  so 
devotedly  held  through  all  the  shadows  of 
her  beclouded  life — she  was  no  doubt  a  mar- 
tyr to  this  cause.  This  thought  is  crushing 
to  my  heart,  and  I  can  find  no  relief  from 
the  pain  of  my  guilty  conscience;  like  one 
of  old,  my  sin  is  ever  before  me,  and — there 
is  no  rest  to  my  anguish-riven  heart." 

"  Why,  Iola,  my  dear  child,  you  do  not 
mean  to  say  that  you  renounce  the  faith  of 
the  Baptists,  do  you  ?" 

"  No,  father,  indeed  I  do  not  ;  but  I  do 
mean  to  say,  that  I  am  no  more  in  favor  of 
close  communion." 


y6  IOLA;  OR, 

"  Then  you  are  no  longer  a  Baptist,"  re- 
plied her  father. 

"What?" 

"  You  are  no  longer  a  Baptist." 

"Why  not,  father?" 

"  Well,  restricted  or  close  communion  is  a 
leading  feature  of  the  Baptists,  and  those 
who  discard  it  are  not  recognized  as  true 
Baptists.  But,  my  child,  I  wish  to  know  on 
what  grounds  you  have  renounced  this  im- 
portant feature  of  your  faith?" 

"  Father,  it  will  take  much  time  to  tell 
you  that,  but  I  will  try. 

"My  dear  mother's  sufferings,  brought  on 
by  our  being  cut  off  from  her  religiously, 
first  led  me  to  inquire  into  the  authority  for 
the  practice  of  close  communion.  I  say  this 
led  me  to  search  for  the  facts.  Having  be- 
gun, I  became  interested  to  know  the  whole 
truth  in  this  matter.  The  result  of  my  in- 
quiries led  me  to  abandon  a  belief  in  this 
selfish  practice.  I  took  my  Bible,  with  my 
concordance,  and  searched  it  through — read 
and  studied  carefully  all  I  could  find  touch- 
ing the  Lord's  Supper.  When  I  finished,  I 
was  satisfied  that  the  doctrine  of  close  com- 
munion, as  taught  and  practiced  among  Bap- 


FACING   THE    TRUTH. 


77 


11  I  took   my  Bible,  with  my  concordance,  and  searched  it 


through.' 


78  IOLA;   OR, 

tists,  is  not  to  be  found  between  the  lids  of 
the  inspired  Word  of  God. 

1.  "I  saw  nothing  in  the  Bible  to  indicate 
that  any  of  the  early  Christians  were  ever 
kept  from  the  Lord's  table,  while  in  good 
standing,  religiously,  with  the  brethren. 
There  is  certainly  no  evidence  that  Jesus  or 
any  of  the  Apostles  kept  any  Christian  away 
from  this  hallowed  festival. 

2.  "  Jesus,  when  he  instituted  the  Supper, 
gave  it  to  all  of  his  disciples  who  were  then 
present,  and  especially  said,  '  Eat  ye  all  of 
it' — that  is,  all  the  disciples  should  eat  of 
the  emblems  used. 

3.  "  I  find  that  Paul  expressly  stated  the 
conditions  on  which  God's  people  might  join 
in  celebrating  this  Supper.  In  all  his  writ- 
ings I  found  no  place  which  says  :  '  Let  a 
man  be  immersed,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that 
bread  and  drink  of  that  cup  ;'  but  I  do  find 
in  his  letter  to  the  Corinthians,  a  passage 
which  gives  these  plain  directions  as  to  the 
conditions  upon  which  one  may  partake  of  the 
emblems  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  It  reads  : 
'  But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let 
him  eat  of  that  bread  and  drink  of  that  cup.' 
Now,  I  had  always  been  taught  that  baptism 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  79 

qualified  a  Christian  to  partake  of  the  sacred 
emblems  at  the  Lord's  Supper.  I  nowhere 
saw  any  allusion  in  the  Bible  to  baptism  as 
having  any  precedence  over  it,  and  I  know 
that  Paul  does  not  write  as  if  baptism 
had  any  relation  to  the  Lord's  Supper. 
I  do  not  remember -a  single  passage  in 
which  he  mentions  the  two  ordinances- 
baptism  and  the  supper — together.  He  never 
once  associates  the  two  in  any  sense,  which 
in  the  remotest  way  shows  a  dependence  of 
the  one  upon  the  other,  or  a  precedence  of 
one  over  the  other.  So  you  see,  father,  I 
have  not  made  up  my  mind  without  seriously 
considering  the  step,  regarding  my  responsi- 
bility to  God  and  the  authority  of  the  Bible 
as  my  highest  concern." 

"  Ah  !  I  see  you  are  led  under  the  grief  of 
the  recent  loss  of  your  mother  to  feel  that  it 
is  traceable  to  the  close  communion  practice 
in  the  Baptist  church.  To  a  certain  extent 
it  is  natural  for  you  to  feel  thus,  but  you 
will  soon  see  your  mistake  and  return  to 
your  old  faith.  I  think  the  Baptists  are 
right,  as  you,  no  doubt,  will,  later." 

Two  weeks  passed  with  no  further  allusions 
to  this  unpleasant  subject.     It  was  a  lovely 


8o  IOLA;    OR, 

afternoon,  and  Iola  and  her  father  were  sit- 
ting under  the  shade  trees  of  the  old  home- 
stead, enjoying  the  fresh  balmy  air.  Con- 
versation grew  dull,  and  Mr.  Graham  thought 
he  observed  in  Iola  the  same  restless  sad- 
ness again,  to  which  allusion  has  already 
been  made. 

At  length  he  enquired  '  if  she  were  not 
yet  satisfied  on  the  close  communion  ques- 
tion.' 

"  Ves,  father,"  she  answered,  "  I  am  satis- 
fied now  as  never  before,  that  close  commu- 
nion is  the  great  mistake,  yes,  more,  it  is  the 
most  barefaced  error  in  our  church,  doc- 
trinally  speaking,  for  while  there  may  be 
other  heretical  views  among  us,  they  have 
some  plea  for  their  existence,  but  I  can  find 
nowhere  in  the  Bible  any  grounds  upon 
which  to  base  even  the  appearance  of  truth 
in  this  close  communion  heresy,  and  I  do 
hope  sooner  or  later  our  church  will  turn 
away  from  this  unscriptural  practice." 

"  My  child,  I  am  surprised  at  the  language 
you  use  ;  surely,  you  do  not  know  what  it 
means,  or  you  have  forgotten  the  early  teach- 
ings I  gave  you." 

"No,  father,  not  that ;  but  I  remember,  too 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  8 1 

well,  perhaps,  the  sufferings  of  my  mother, 
which  in  the  main  are  directly  traceable  to 
the  exclusiveness  of  her  own  husband  and 
child — I  can  not  forget  that,  for  it  led  her 
to  the  deep  anguish  of  disfellowship  on  the 
part  of  her  own  family,  and  further,  to 
derangement  and  to  her  grave," — and  the 
dear  child  burst   into  tears. 

"  Admit  all  that  to  be  true,  my  child,  can 
you  change  your  faith — your  religious  prin- 
ciples— because  they  grieved  even  your  own 
dear  mother?" 

"  No,  father, — that  is  not  the  case.  I  do 
not  reject  close  communion  on  that  ground, 
but  on  this  :  My  mother's  sufferings,  because 
of  our  conduct  toward  her,  which  was  made 
necessary  by  our  faith,  led  me  to  investigate 
the  grounds  on  which  I  was  standing.  I 
could  not  see  how  in  a  great  family  the 
father  should  so  order  the  regulations  of  the 
household  as  to  make  it  so  very  burden- 
some to  any  one  of  his  loving,  faithful 
children,  and  the  other  children  be  happy. 
So  I  could  not  see  how  close  communion 
could  be  of  God,  when  it  brought  so  much 
strife  and  division  into  his  church  and  such 
intense  suffering  to  a  part  of  his  children, 


82  IOLA;   OR, 

leaving  the  others  happy.  Here  I  deter- 
mined to  examine  the  Bible  for  myself  and 
see  if  my  Heavenly  Father  had  so  ordered 
this  matter;  and  now,  I  am  satisfied,  after  a 
candid  and  careful  examination  of  the  Book, 
that  there  is  absolutely  no  scriptural  authori- 
ty for  close  communion  ;  and,  for  one,  I  do 
hope  our  people  will  give  it  up,  and  adopt 
the  Apostle  Paul's  rule,  to  let  a  man  examine 
himself  and  so  let  him  eat  of  this  bread  and 
drink  of  this  cup." 

•'Ah!  child,  that  is  a  vain  hope — they  will 
never  do  that — no,   no." 

11  Yes,  yes,  father,"  said  Iola,  "  I  hope  they 
will.  I  know  I  was  a  true  Baptist,  and  I 
have  changed  on  that  point,  and  I  hope  all 
may  do  so.  It  would  help  us  to  be*  more 
scriptural  and  more  Christ-like,  two  points 
to  gain  which  believers  can  afford  to  give 
up  any  human  dogma,  and  to  make  a  sacri- 
fice of  any  church  rule  not  found  in  the 
Bible.  You  see,  father,  close  communion  is 
a  human  regulation  in  our  church,  because 
the  Bible  nowhere  enjoins  it,  and,  what  is 
more,  the  whole  spirit  of  the  Bible  is 
against  it." 


FACING    THE     TRUTH.  83 


Chapter  XIII. 

"  But  really,  Iola,"  said  Mr.  Graham,  "  are 
you  in  earnest  in  renouncing  the  close  com- 
munion of  the  Baptists?" 

"Indeed,  I  am  father." 

"  Well,  if  you  persist  in  it,  your  church 
will  certainly  disfellowship  you." 

"  Do  what,  father?" 

"Yes,  they  will  be  compelled  to  disown 
you  as  a  member  of  a  Baptist  church,  Iola." 

u  For  what  ?" 

"  Because  you  renounce  the  Baptist  faith." 

"  I  think  that  would  be  dreadful,  father! 
Here  I  am,  a  young  girl,  just  grown  up,  and 
motherless,  and  for  my  church  to  disfellow- 
ship me  because  of  an  honest  opinion,  and 
so  set  the  public  to  talking  about  me — it  is 
not  Christ-like.  But  you  do  not  really 
think  they  would  have  me  arraigned 
and  disown  me  for  holding  this  view,  do 
you  r 

"  Indeed,  they  will — they  can  not  be  con- 
sistent and  do  otherwise.     You  had  better 


84  IOLA;    OR, 

abandon  these  notions  and  return  to  the  old 
faith." 

"  Cannot  be  consistent  with  what,  father?" 
u  With   the  rules   and   usages  of  the   Bap- 
tists." 

"Ah,  that  may  be,  but  I  know  they  could 
be  consistent  with  the  Bible  and  a  christian 
life  and  not  disown  me  for  these  views. 
Again,  as  to  going  back  to  the  old  faith,  I 
can  not  do  that  and  be  honest — the  truth  is 
deeply  imbedded  in  my  heart ;  I  cannot  give 
it  up. 

"  Iola,  you  deeply  mortify  my  feelings." 
"  Dear  father,  I  do    not  wish  to  do  that — 
I   do  not    mean  to  do  it,   and  yet,  believing 
that    I  have   the   truth,  I    can   not   abandon 
it — it  is  as  dear  as  life  to  me."     As  she  said 
it  she  laid  her  arms  about  his  neck  and  kissed 
him    tenderly,  and  as    she    did   so,  the   big 
tears   ran    down    his  cheeks.     Doubtless   he 
Was  thinking  of  Iola's  mother,  and  a  combi- 
nation  of  sad  memories  crowded   his  mind 
and  filled    his   heart  with  tender   emotions. 
He  continued  to  struggle  with  his   feelings, 
'  till  at   length    he    overcame   them,    and  he 
said: 

"Well,   if  you  must   subject   yourself  to 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  85 

such  an  unpleasant  affair  as  a  church  trial,  I 
can  only  say,  it  is  a  bitter  pang  that  I  shall 
never  forget,  for  which  I  can  see  no  earthly 
necessity." 

'*  Dear  father,  is  there  no  necessity  to  re- 
spect my  conscience — my  honest  religious 
convictions?  Would  you,  father,  have  me 
trample  my  principles  under  my  feet,  sim- 
ply to  escape  the  church  trial  to  which  you 

allude  ?" 

"But    how,    my   dear  child,  did   you  ever 

become  possessed  of  such  principles?" 

"  By  studying  the  Bible." 

"Well,  but  I  have  studied  the  Bible,  per- 
haps more  than  you  have,  and  so  have  thous- 
ands of  Baptists,  and  we  do  not  wish  to  re- 
nounce our  faith  as  Baptists — then  why 
should  you  ?" 

"  I  will  grant  that  you,  and  many  others 
of  our  people,  have  studied  the  Bible  more 
than  I  have,  but  you  studied  it  under  the 
light  of  a  sectarian  lamp,  while  I  hope  and 
believe  I  studied  it  in  the  light  that  fell 
from  the  face  of  a  dying  Christian,  while  her 
brow  was  radiant  with  the  coming  glory  of 
the  other  shore — my  mother.  Admitting 
that   I    am  wrong,    father,    it  yet   remains 


86  IOLA  ;    OR, 

for  you,  or  some  of  our  people,  to  show  it 
from  the  Bible.  Do  that,  and  I  will  cheer- 
fully yield  my  views  and  return  to  the  old 
faith,  and  take  my  stand  with  you." 

Mr.  Graham  did  not  accept  Iola's  proposi- 
tion to  show  wherein  the  Bible  was  against 
her,  and  so  she  continued  to  stand  by  her 
new  faith. 

On  Friday  afternoon,  he  quietly  and  very 
kindly  reminded  Iola  that  the  next  day 
was  the  time  appointed  for  a  business 
meeting  at  Broad  Creek  church,  at  the  same 
time  asking  her  if  she  wished  to  go.  She 
made  answer  in  the  affirmative,  and  asked 
the  hour  of  meeting. 

11  At  1 1  o'clock  in  the  morning,"  he  said. 

'4  Then  we  shall  have  to  go  early  in  order 
to  be  on  time,"  answered  the  young  girl. 

At  9  o'clock  the  next  morning,  Mr.  Gra- 
ham and  Iola  were  seated  in  the  carriage  and 
off  to  Broad  Creek.  On  the  way  both  were 
unusually  quiet.  At  length  Iola  introduced 
conversation,  by  saying: 

"  I  have  not  been  to  my  church  since  the 
day  mother  was  taken  so  ill.  I  did  very 
much  enjoy  the  services  that  day,  but  I  do 
not  suppose  I  will  to-day." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  87 

"  Why  not,  Iola  ?" 

"  I  am  quite  sure  if  they  arraign  me  before 
the  church  on  account  of  my  close  commun- 
ion views,  I  shall  not  enjoy  it,  because  of 
the  unpleasant  publicity.  But,  if  it  must 
come,  for  the  Truth's  sake,  I  will  not  flag. 
By  the  help  of  the  Lord,  I  will  stand  by  my 
post  of  duty;  besides,  I  feel  that  the  mem- 
ory of  my  mother's  sufferings  will  encourage 
and  strengthen  me  in  my  darkest  moments. 
Here  I  must  abide  till  the  way  opens  to 
me. 

"  Well,  if  your  mind  is  made  up  to  that, 
you  may  as  well  nerve  yourself  to  submit  to 
a  trial,  for  it  must  come,"  said  Mr.  Graham. 

"Then  I  shall  try  to  meet  it  as  a  chris- 
tian." 

"  My  child,  it  is  painful  to  me,  but  you 
know  my  duty  in  the  case.  As  a  deacon  I 
must  report  you,  though  you  are  my  own 
child.  I  will  take  no  part  against  you  pub- 
licly. I  will  give  the  facts  to  a  brother 
deacon,  who  will  bring  the  matter  up  for 
consideration." 

"And  will  not  my  own  dear  father  speak 
one  word  in  my  behalf?" 

"  My  child,  your  father  can  not.     You  will 


88  IOLA;  OR, 

have  to  speak  for  yourself,"  and  having 
reached  the  church  yard,  the  conversation 
ended. 

The  meeting  opened  with  devotional  exer- 
cises. Then  came  the  business  meeting. 
After  much  routine  work,  Deacon  Ashton 
announced  the  fact  that  a  certain  member 
had  been  walking  disorderly,  "to  report 
which  is  a  most  painful  duty.  I  allude  to 
our  young  sister,  Iola  Graham,  charged  with 
having  renounced  the  Baptist  faith,  touching 
the  important  feature  of  close  communion. 
I  think  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the 
charge,  but  the  sister  is  present  and  can 
speak  for  nerself." 

The  moderator,  turning  to  her,  said:  "Sis- 
ter Graham,  you  have  heard  the  words  of 
Deacon  Ashton  ;  have  you  any  thing  to  say  in 
reply  ?" 

The  young  girl  timidly  arose  and  said: 
"  The  charge  of  Deacon  Ashton  is  true." 

"Brethren,"  said  the  moderator,  "you 
have  heard  the  sister's  answer  ;  what  will  you 
do  in  this  case  ?" 

"  I  move,"  said  Bro.  James,  "  that  we  ap- 
point a  committee  of   three  to  wait  on  this 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  89 

sister,  notifying  her  to  prepare  for  trial  at  our 
next  meeting." 

Iola,  understanding  that  she  would  have 
to  speak  for  herself,  determined  to  do  so  at 
once,  and,  if  possible,  avoid  a  protracted  trial. 
Though  a  cross  to  her,  she  arose,  and,  with 
trembling  voice,  said  : 

"  Brethren,  in  all  proper  deference  to  you 
I  would  say,  it  seems  useless  to  defer  this 
matter  till  another  meeting;  I  am  as  ready 
now  for  any  proper  disposal  of  the  case  as  I 
can  be  then.  As  there  seems  to  be  a  wide 
difference  between  myself  and  this  church, 
if  it  is  your  pleasure  to  give  me  a  letter, 
certifying  to  my  christian  character,  I  will 
give  you  no  further  trouble." 

The  moderator  informed  her  that  the  letter 
could  not  be  given.  Then,  said  the  brave 
cirl 

"  If  I  must  be  expelled  from  my  church 
for  these  views,  your  immediate  action  will 
suit  me  as  well.  My  mind  is  made  up,  and  I 
would  prefer  that  you  dispose  of  the  matter 
to-day." 

"A  formal  trial  is  unnecessary  if  she  is 
positively  determined   to  maintain  her  posj- 


90  IOLA  ;   OR, 

tion  against  restricted  communion,"  said  the 
moderator. 

"  I  am  so  determined,"  she  answered. 

"What  will  you  do  with  the  case,  breth- 
ren ?"  said  the  presiding  officer. 

This  seemed  to  stop  them  all — the  ques- 
tion was  too  much  for  them  ;  at  least,  they 
hesitated  to  take  it  up. 

At  length,  Deacon  Folley  arose  and  said  : 
"  I  move  that  Iola  Graham  be  now  expelled 
from  the  membership  of  Broad  Creek  church 
for  the  sin  of  renouncing  restricted  com- 
munion." 

The  motion  received  a  second,  and  the 
chair  put  the  question  to  the  house.  As  he 
asked  if  there  were  remarks  to  be  made, 
Bro.  Jordan  arose  and  said  : 

"  Bro.  Moderator,  this  is  a  very  delicate 
matter,  and  I  regret  exceedingly  that  it  is 
before  us,  My  duty  to  my  church,  however, 
will  compel  me  to  vote  for  the  motion.  No 
Baptist  can  do  otherwise.  Her  course  is  a 
thrust  at  the  stronghold  of  our  organization, 
and  we,  as  Baptists,  can  not  be  too  prompt 
to  condemn  it." 

In  a  similar  manner  quite  a  number  spoke. 
AH  seemed  to  regret    the  necessity  for  such 


FACING   THE    TRUTH.  91 

action,  and  yet  they  were  ready  to  vote  for 
the  motion. 

At  length  the  moderator  asked  : 

"  Has  the  young  lady  any  one  to  speak  for 
her,  or  will  she  speak  for  herself?" 

To  this  she  responded: 

11  I  have  no  one  to  speak  for  me,  but  I 
will  speak  for  myself,"  and  she  began: 

"  I  am  devotedly  attached  to  my  church, 
but  I  have  become  convinced  that  our  people 
hold  to  restricted  communion  without  scrip- 
tural grounds  for  the  practice.  I  have  been 
urged  to  bury  my  faith  in  this  matter  for  the 
sake  of  avoiding  a  difficulty  here,  i  am 
anxious  to  shun  all  difficulties  in  this  life, 
but  the  morel  meditated  on  the  question  of 
duty  in  this  case,  the  more  I  was  convinced 
that  I  should  stand  up  for  the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints  and  speak  for  myself,  if 
need  be.   I  therefore  can  not  hold  my  peace. 

"  To-day  I  appeal  to  you  to  go  with  me 
through  the  sad  experience  that  has  led  me 
to  this  point. 

"  I  was  brought  up  a  Baptist.  My 
father  is  a  Baptist.  I  went  to  a  Baptist 
school  to  be  educated.  I  professed  faith  in 
Christ  within    these  sacred    walls.     I  united 


92  IOLA;    OR, 

with  this  church.  Here  I  was  baptized. 
These  facts  prepared  me  to  believe  as  Bap- 
tists believe.  I  did  so  heartily  and  sincerely. 
Going  home  from  the  first  business  meeting 
held  after  I  became  a  member  of  this  church, 
I  was  shocked  to  find  my  dear  mother 
gone.  For  weeks  she  had  been  in  trouble, 
but  I  could  not  discover  its  cause.  Finding 
her  gone,  I  became  alarmed.  I  feared  she 
had  become  ill,  or  that  some  harm  had  be- 
fallen her.  My  dear  father  and  I  went  in 
search  of  her.  In  the  twilight  of  coming 
darkness,  we  found  her,  deranged  and  sick. 
In  that  moment  I  suffered  such  heart-an- 
guish as  no  tongue  or  pen  can  describe. 
Humanly  speaking,  my  mother  was  a  model 
Christian.  I  found  her  reason  had  been  de- 
throned, and  I  feared  through  the  grief 
brought  to  her  heart  because  father  and  I 
could  not  fellowship  her  at  the  Lord's  table, 
the  rules  of  our  church  forbidding  it  while 
she  was  not  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 
She  belonged  to  the  Christian  church.  She 
said  she  bore  this,  though  a  burden,  for 
father's  sake,  till  I  joined  with  him.  When 
she  saw  that  each  member  of  her  own  dear 
family  was  cut  off  from  her  fellowship  as  a 


FACING   THE    TRUTH.  93 

Christian,  the  thought  crushed  her  hopes  of 
becoming  united  in  this  life.  The  idea 
of  disfellowship  for  a  warm-hearted  Christian 
mother  became  a  heavy  burden  to  my  soul. 
But  this,  though  terrible  in  itself,  did  not 
fix  my  faith  in  opposition  to  our  church. 
For  mother's  sake,  I  did  deeply  regret  the 
seeming  necessity  for  non-fellowshipping  her. 

"  I  wish  here  to  state  distinctly  all  this 
fact  ever  had  to  do  with  my  change  of  faith 
was,  that  it  led  me  to  search  the  scriptures 
to  see  if  these  things  were  so — to  see  if  in 
the  Bible  I  could  find  any  just  grounds  upon 
which  father  and  I,  as  Christians,  should  re- 
fuse to  meet  my  now  sainted  mother  at  the 
Lord's  table.  After  the  most  painstaking 
examination  of  all  that  Jesus  and  the  in- 
spired writers  had  said  about  the  Lord's 
Supper,  I  was  unable  to  find  any  passage  of 
scripture  justifying  close  communion. 

"  I  know  that,  as  a  people,  we  hold  that 
one  must  be  baptized  by  immersion  before 
he  can  join  God's  people  in  commemorating 
the  sufferings  and  death  of  the  dear  Saviour, 
but  I  can  find  no  such  directions  in  the  Bi- 
ble. When  Jesus  instituted  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, he   said,  in  passing  the   cup,  '  drink  ye 


94  IOLA;   OR, 

all  of  it,'  by  which  I  understand  that  he 
meant,  not  necessarily  all  of  the  wine,  but 
that  all  of  the  disciples  should  drink  of  it.  I 
know  on  this  point  our  church  decides  who 
may  and  who  may  not  partake  of  the  Sup- 
per, but  Jesus  did  not  so  restrict  the  privi= 
leges  of  the  holy  festival  ;  and  I  am  quite 
sure  Paul  did  not  understand  Jesus  to  limit 
its  privileges  to  such  only  as  had  been  im- 
mersed, for  Paul,  with  emphasis,  says  :  '  But 
let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him 
eat  of  that  bread  and  drink  of  that  cup.' 
Surely,  that  sustains  my  views  of  open  com- 
munion. Besides,  the  spirit  of  the  scrip- 
tures, as  a  whole,  sustains  me.  Reason  also 
upholds  the  same  idea.  Did  you  ever  see  a 
reasonable  father  shut  out  a  portion  of  his 
dutiful  children  from  the  blessings  of  the 
home?  I  do  not  believe  that  God  is  the 
Author  of  close  communion — it  is  a  human 
dogma. 

"  So,  brethren,  in  the  main  you  have 
my  reasons.  I  hold  them  in  a  pure  con- 
science before  God.  I  cannot  do  otherwise. 
I  know  I  must  be  expelled  from  this  dear 
old  church,  so  it  is  needless  that  I  speak 
further.     Now  I  await  my  fate." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  95 

As  the  brave  but  modest  Iola  took  her 
seat,  the  moderator  asked  if  there  were  any 
other  remarks  to  be  made.  Not  one  ven- 
tured a  reply.  Iola's  burning  words  were 
still  ringing  in  their  ears.  Yet  when  the  vote 
was  taken,  it  was  unanimous  for  her  expul- 
sion from  Broad  Creek  Baptist  church, 
though  many  gave  their  consent  in  tears. 
Iola  accepted  the  situation  kindly  and  grace- 
fully. 

After  the  meeting  closed,  they  shunned 
the  presence  of  the  brave  little  championess 
of  open  communion.  This  was  a  bitter  ex- 
perience to  her  mind  and  heart.  She  gently 
bore  the  cross,  believing  her  cause  was  just. 

On  the  way  home  little  was  said,  but  oc- 
casionally words  were  exchanged,  in  which 
the  father  showed  no  sympathy  for  his  noble 
daughter  in  the  trials  through  which  she 
was  then  passing — the  fires  of  persecution 
burned  pitilessly  along  her  sad  and  lonely 
pathway. 


96 


IOLA;   OR, 


IOLA  GRAHAM. 

"  The  fires  of  persecution  burned  pitilessly  along  her  sad 
and  lonely  pathway." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


97 


Chapter  XIV. 

Vty^HE  following  Sabbath  was  communion 
iAij  dav  at  Broad  Creek.  Iola  accompanied 
her  father  to  this  service  but  took  a  rear  seat, 
expecting  to  hear  a  sermon  on  close  commu- 
nion. In  this  she  was  disappointed.  Not  a 
word  was  said — doubtless  the  pastor  thought 
''prudence  the  better  part  of  valor."  With 
the  burning  words  of  the  young  girl  and  the 
plain  facts  of  the  Bible,  he  evidently  thought 
it  was  wise  to  say  nothing  on  that  subject, 
for  while  all  voted  to  expel  her,  he  knew 
many  were  in  sympathy  with  her  in  her 
open  communion  views.  To  discuss  the 
question  now  might  lead  to  a  closer  search- 
ing of  the  Bible,  and  it  was  only  too  likely 
that  it  would  result  as  in  Iola's  case. 

Sunday  afternoon,  returning  home,  Mr. 
Graham  said  :  li  Well,  daughter,  what  now  ? 
You  do  not  mean  to  live  out  of  the  church, 
do  you  ?" 

"  What  else  can  I  do  ?  I  have  been  ex- 
pelled." 


4 


98  I0U\;  or, 

11  Please  do  not  speak  of  it  in  that  way, 
Iola." 

"How  then,  father?" 

"  Do  not  say  that  we  expelled  you,  but 
that  your  views  would  not  allow  you  to  re- 
main with   us." 

"As  much  as  I  delight  to  please  you, 
I  can  not  do  so  by  making  such  a  state- 
ment as  that.  Bfoad  Creek  church  expelled 
me  for  holding  open  communion  views, 
and  I  must  so  state  it,  because  facts  are 
facts." 

11  So  you  do  not  propose  to  renounce  your 
new  faith  and  come  back — be  one  with  us 
again  ?"  .  •  ■ 

No  ;  I  have  no  such  purpose*,  though  I  am 
unwilling  to  live  out  of  the  church — I  must 
seek  a  spiritual  home. 

11  Where  do  you  think  of  going,  Iola  ?" 

"Allow  me  time,  I  am  not  fully  deci- 
ded. I  have  been  reading  the  doctrinal 
views  of  many  of  the'  denominations,  espe- 
daily  have  I  examined  the  teachings  of  the 
Bible.  At  this  time  I  am  looking  toward 
the  Christians  for  a  church  home." 

"  I  hope  you  do  not  mean  that,  my  child," 

"Why?" 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  99 

"Because  I  know  of  no  more  objectionable 
denomination." 

"  How  is  it  objectionable'" 

11  Well,  that  is  enough — my  word  ought  to 
be  sufficient,  and  you  ought  to  accept  it 
without  question." 

14  That  is  all  true,  perhaps,"  said  the  inno- 
cent, earnest  girl,  "  but  I  am  searching  for 
the  truth.  I  do  not  wish  to  act  on  any  '  hear- 
say,' I  want  the/acts.  If  you  know  any  good 
reason  why  I  should  not  go  to  them  for  a 
church  home,  please  tell  me,  so  that  I  may 
act  intelligently." 

"  My  child,  they  are  the  worst  people 
among  us." 

"  Pardon  me,  father,  I  do  not  mean  any 
disrespect,  but  you  told  me  that  before.  I 
wish  the  facts.  Tell  me  why  they  are  so  bad 
a  people  ?" 

"  I  will  do  so.  They  hold  and  teach  bad 
doctrines." 

"  Will  you  name  one  or  two  ?" 

"Yes,  child.  I  will  mention  just  one, 
which  will  be  a  bar  to  their  success  and  use- 
fulness forever.  One  of  their  cardinal  prin- 
ciples is  this  :  '  The  right  of  private  judgment 
and  the  liberty  of  conscience  is  accorded  to  all 


100  IOLA;   OR, 

their  members!    Now,  daughter,  just  that  one 
sentiment  will  kill  them,  and  it  ought  to,  too." 

"  Really,"  said  the  girl,  "  I  admire  that 
very  principle." 

"  Dear,  dear  me,  daughter,  surely  you  do 
not  understand  it.  See  here  !  You  can  be- 
long to  them  and  hold  to  any  view  you  like. 
When  they  do  a  wrong  thing,  if  called  to  ac- 
count for  it,  they  plead  the  right  of  private 
judgment  and  the  liberty  of  conscience  in 
extenuation  of  that  sin.  If  a  drunken  man 
is  arraigned  for  the  sin  of  drunkenness,  he 
simply  makes  answer  that  he  has  the  right 
of  private  judgment  and  the  liberty  of  his 
conscience  in  the  case,  and  they  have  to 
submit.  The  same  is  true  of  other  sins. 
You  can  see  at  once  how  untrue  that  church 
is  to  Christ.  I  hope  you  do  not  mean  to  cast 
your  spiritual  welfaie  with  such  a  people." 

This  was  an  unexpected  blow  to  Iola's 
ideas  and  purposes.  After  some  thought 
upon  this  new  version  of  the  principles  of 
the  CHRISTIANS,  she  approached  her  father 
and  said  : 

"Are  you  not  mistaken?  That  principle, 
as  you  interpret  it,  seems  so  unnatural 
for    a    christian    people    to    live    under — I 


FACING   THE    TRUTH.  IOt 

think  you  must  have  misconceived  its  spirit, 
to  say  the  least  of  it." 

11  No,  Iola,  it  is  true.  If  you  unite  with 
them  you  must  do  so  with  this  great  sin 
looking  you  full  in  the  face." 

"  Well,  you  may  be  right,  but  that  I  may 
be  certain  as  to  that,  I  will  v/rite  to  my 
mother's  old  pastor,  Rev.  T.  M.  Rickson,  of 
Virginia,  and  ask  him  if  that  is  a  proper 
interpretation  of  that  principle,  as  held  by 
the  Christians." 

"  My  child,  you  doubt  my  word  !  I  am 
surprised  at  you  !" 

"  No,  father,  I  do  not  in  that  sense, — I  only 
think  you  have  misunderstood  them.  It  is 
because  of  this,  that  I  propose  to  write  to 
Mr.  Rickson." 

She  addressed  the  following  letter  to  him: 

Wynans  Falls,  N.  C, 

Sept.  20,  1882. 
Rev.  T.  M.  Rickson, 

Venice,  Va. 
Dear  Sir : ■■— I  am  a  little  confused.     Will 
you    kindly   give    me  some    facts    touching 
leading  principles  of  the  Christians?    It  is 


102  ioLA;  OR, 

said  that  you  allow  your  members,  when 
guilty  of  unchristian-like  conduct,  to  plead 
the  right  of  private  judgment  and  the  liberty 
of  conscience  in  extenuation  of  their  sins, 
and  remain  in  full  membership  with  the 
church.  Your  church  was  my  mother's 
church,  and  I  am  anxious  to  know  the  truth 
of  this  rumor.  With  much  interest,  my  dear 
sir,  I  shall  await  your  reply. 

Very  Respectfully, 

Iola  Graham. 


Chapter  XV. 


JR.  Graham,  seeing  she  was  determined 
to  carry  into  effect  her  purposes,  grew 
daily  more  fretful,  and  even  unkind  toward 
Iola.  She  bore  it  all  patiently,  and  conducted 
herself  as  the  same  loving  daughter  she  had 
been  while  in  the  Baptist  church. 

A  week  had  now  passed  since  the  posting 
of  her  letter  to  Mr.  Rickson.  The  answer 
came.  Iola  was  all  expectant,  and  opening 
it,  she  read  : 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  103 

Venice,  Va.,  Sept.  25,  1882. 
To  Miss  I ola  Graham, 

Wynan's  Falls,  N.  C. 

In  answer  to  your  kind  inquiry  of  Sept.  20, 
permit  me  to  say,  I  am  not  surprised  that 
you  are  confused  by  the  rumor  named  in 
your  letter. 

The  right  of  private  judgment  and  the 
liberty  of  conscience  is  a  highly  prized  fea- 
ture in  our  distinctive  principles,  but  the 
coloring  given  it  in  the  rumor  to  which  you 
allude,  is  as  false  as  it  is  absurd.  Permit  me 
then  to  set  at  rest  your  mind  by  remarking, 

1.  This  principle  among  us  applies  wholly 
to  matters  of  opinion — not  of  faith — about 
which  good  men  and  women  have  differed 
in  every  age  of  the  world.  To  illustrate : 
Here  is  a  Christian  church,  of  which  I  have 
the  honor  to  be  pastor.  In  its  membership 
are  two  useful  Christian  men.  One  of  them 
is  a  firm  believer  in  the  doctrine  of  predesti- 
nation. The  other  is  a  strong  advocate  of 
man's  free  agency.  They  both  live  and 
work  well  together  in  my  church,  and  not  a 
word  is  said  against  it.  Upon  this  point 
and  upon  kindred  subjects,  they  enjoy  the 
privileges  of  the  fifth   cardinal    principle  of 


104  IOLA;   OR, 

our  church — they  have  and  exercise  the  right 
of  private  judgment  and  the  liberty  of  con- 
science, and  they  are  happy. 

2.  This  principle  in  no  way  gives  the  right 
of  private  judgment,  &c,  to  our  members  in 
questions  of  morals.  It  has  no  reference  to 
morality.  A  misdemeanor  committed  in  the 
Christian  church  is  as  promptly  dealt  with 
as  in  any  other  church.  The  Bible  will  cer- 
tainly point  it  out  and  condemn  it  as  a  mis- 
demeanor, and  we  take  the  Bible  for  our 
guide.  You  may  rest  assured  that  the  CHRIS- 
TIANS will  be  the  last  to  give  disorderly 
members  protection  in  their  sins  by  any  such 
use  or  abuse  of  this  grand  principle. 

3.  If  he  who  circulates  such  rumors 
should  join  one  of  our  churches,  and  then 
falsify,  backbite,  get  drunk,  or  steal,  we 
should  be  pleased  to  give  him  a  practical 
refutation  of  his  unholy  charges  against  us 
as  a  people — we  should  open  our  back  door 
and  send  him  out  an  expelled  member.  Then 
he  might  judge  for  himself  as  to  the  mean- 
ing of  this  great  principle  of  the  CHRISTIANS. 

I  hope  this  answer  may  serve  to  correct 
the  rumors  to  which  you  allude,  and  so  give 
your  mind    relief   in  that  direction,     With 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  105 

many    pleasant    recollections    of    your  now 
sainted    mother,  and   with   best    wishes  for 
yourself,  permit  me  to  subscribe  myself, 
Your  sincere  friend, 

T.  M.  RlCKSON. 

She  read  the  letter,  and  then  took  it  to 
her  father,  saying  : 

"  I  thought  you  were  mistaken,  in  your 
opinion  of  the  CHRISTIANS.  That  letter 
clears  up  the  case  fully." 

"  Ah,  yes,  child,  you  might  have  expected 
him  to  put  it  in  that  way  so  as  to  satisfy 
you  long  enough  to  get  you  to  join  his 
church." 

"  Indeed,  I  did  not  even  intimate  that  I 
was  expecting  to  join  his  church.  My  re- 
quest was  simply  for  the  facts,  and  he  has 
satisfied  me." 

"  Then  you  have  fully  decided  to  leave 
the  Baptists  and  join  the  O'Kellyites,  have 
you  ?" 

"  No,  father,  I  have  not  left  my  church — 
I  was  driven  from  it,  and  that  without  mercy. 
But  please  tell  me  whom  you  mean  by 
O'Kellyites  ?" 


io6  IOLA;  OR, 

"  Why  I  mean   that    sect   you  propose  to 

> » 
join. 

"But  that  is  not  their  name;  they  call 
themselves  Christians— simply  that,  and 
nothing   more." 

"  I  call  them  O'Kellyites — that  is  good 
enough  for  them." 

11  Well,  I  think  you  might  call  them  by 
the  name  they  choose  to  wear.  You  are  a 
great  admirer  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Curry,  a  lead- 
ing Baptist  minister  of  Virginia,  and  I  heard 
him  say  once  that  it  was  not  right  to  nick- 
name any  people  ;  that  we  ought  to  respect 
them  and  ourselves  enough  to  call  them  by 
the  name  they  choose  to  wear.  He  is  good 
authority  among  the  Baptists.  I  think  he 
is  right." 

"But  are  you,  Iola,  going  to  join  them?" 

11  I  think  they  are  the  most  scriptural  of 
any  of  the  denominations  with  which  I  am 
acquainted,  and  of  course  that  means  I  am 
looking  to  them  for  a  church  home.  Yes, 
my  mind  is  settled  on  that." 

"Alas,  alas!"  Mr.  Graham  exclaimed,  and 
left  Iola  alone. 

That  afternoon  new  light  was  given.  In 
her  mother's  trunk  Iola  found  a  small  book 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  107 

called  "  The  Declaration  of  Principles  and 
Form  of  Government  for  the  Christians." 
It  was  just  what  she  wished,  and  she  eagerly 
perused  it  from  beginning  to  end,  with  the 
Bible  and  concordance  to  test  the  truth  of 
all  she  found  in  its  pages.  Each  step  slowly, 
but  surely,  confirmed  her  convictions. 

A  week  later,  Mr.  Graham  was  in  an  un- 
usually pleasant  temper,  and  seemingly 
much  concerned  for  his  daughter's  happi- 
ness. 

"  Iola,  my  child,"  he  said,  ''you  have  been 
so  long  at  home  alone,  and  under  such  try- 
ing circumstances,  would  you  not  like  to 
visit  Hollins  Institute,  and  spend  a  few 
weeks  with  your  old  teachers  and  school 
friends?" 

This  so  surprised  her  that  she  could  not 
answer  at  once,  remembering,  as  she  must, 
how  her  father  had  been  so  displeased  at  her 
course  of  late.  She  could  not  expect  so 
much  kindness.  At  length  she  answered  : 

"  Father,  many  thanks  for  your  kindness, 
but  I  do  not  feel  just  ready  for  such  a  visit." 

She,  innocent  girl  that  she  was,  did  not 
suspect  his  motive.  The  truth  was,  he  wished 
to  get  her  under  old  influences,  where  she 


108  IOLA;  OR, 

had  been  educated,  hoping  that  she  might 
be  induced  to  renounce  the  "  open  com- 
munion craze,"  as  he  had  not  very  ele- 
gantly expressed  it.  When  she  declined  he 
was  disappointed. 

He  decided  upon  another  plan.  This  time 
he  proposed  to  take  her  to  visit  some  of  his 
relatives  in  the  city  of  R .  Iola  still  de- 
clined, with  thanks,  assigning  as  a  reason, 
that  she,  in  her  present  state  of  mind,  could 
enjoy  retirement  more  than  society.  Of 
course,  this  was  also  a  disappointment.  Iola 
was  his  only  child — he  felt  something  must 
be  done  to  save  her  to  the  Baptists.  His  last 
resort  was  determined  upon  only  to  see  it 
fail.     It  came  in  this  manner  : 

"  Iola,"  said  Mr.  Graham,  "to-morrow  I 
expect  company  to  dine  with  us.  Give  us  a 
dinner  worthy  of  our  guest  and  I  promise 
you  a  handsome  present." 

"Who  will  be  the  visitor,  father?"  asked 
the  unsuspecting  girl. 

"  Dr.  Jenkins,  my  pastor,"  was  the  reply. 
Iola  at  once  saw  the  plan.  She  believed, 
how  justly  may  be  determined  by  the  sequel, 
that  Dr.  Jenkins  had  been  sent  for  to  make 
a  studied  attack  upon  her  open  communion 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  109 

views,  and  if  possible  bring  her  back  to  the 
Baptist  faith. 

Mr.  Graham  was  very  agreeable  through 
that  day,  and  the  next,  till  dinner  had  been 
served,  when  he  gracefully  excused  himself 
to  meet  a  "  pressing  engagement,"  leaving 
Iola  to  entertain  Dr.  Jenkins  for  the  after- 
noon. 


Chapter  XVI, 


UN  good  faith  the  innocent  girl  undertook 
the  task  of  entertaining  the  Doctor, 
though  suspecting  the  end  of  her  father's 
"pressing  engagement." 

Only  a  few  words  were  exchanged  in  a 
general  way,  when  Dr.  Jenkins  introduced 
the  subject  of  her  recent  expulsion  from 
Broad  Creek  Baptist  church.  He  mildly  re- 
buked her  for  holding  views,  which,  accord- 
ing to  Baptist  usage,  made  her  expulsion 
necessary. 

"  Dr.  Jenkins,"  said  Iola,  "  I  acted  from 
principle,  after  a  careful  and  patient  study 
of  the  Bible  touching  the  whole  matter,  and 


I  IO  IOLA;    OR, 

I  do  not  regret  the  results  so  far,  except,  of 
course,  it  is  unpleasant,  painfully  so,  for  a 
motherless  girl,  just  entering  the  realm  of 
womanhood,  to  have  to  submit  to  expulsion 
from  her  church." 

"  My  dear  young  friend,"  responded  the 
Doctor,  "  you  have  allowed  the  thoughts 
and  opinions  of  others  under  very  trying 
circumstances  to  work  upon  your  feelings, 
and  finally  upon  your  mind,  till  you  have 
been  led  away  from  your  church — the  only 
apostolic  church." 

"  Beg  your  pardon,  Doctor.  You  are  mis- 
taken. The  thoughts  of  others  had  nothing 
to  do  with  my  actions.  A  very  bitter  per- 
sonal experience  induced  me  to  study  God's 
word.  In  doing  so,  I  saw  clearly  the  heart- 
less oppression  to  the  conscience  of  the  be- 
liever, in  the  rules  of  my  church.  Because  I 
could  not  endorse  such  regulations,  the 
church  expelled  me." 

"  But,  Miss  Iola,  you  speak  in  ignorance.  A 
Baptist  church  is  the  only  scriptural  church. 
If  you  leave  us ." 

11  Leave  you  !  I  have  not  left  you.  The 
church  forced  me  to  leave — the  act  was  not 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  Ill 

mine,  and,  of   course,  I  must  have  a  church 
home  some  where." 

11  Well,  where  can  you  go — what  church 
will  you  join?" 

"  When  opportunity  is  given,  I  expect  to 
join  the  CHRISTIANS." 

"  Why,  I  thought  you  were  objecting  to 
us  because  of  what  you  regard  as  selfishness 
in  us,  and  I  am  sure  that  sect  is  the  most 
selfish  known  among  the  denominations." 

"  How  do  you  make  that,  Doctor  ?" 

"  Why  their  very  name  shows  it,  they  call 
themselves  the  Christian  church,  and  thereby 
imply  that  other  churches  are  not  Christian. 
If  there  be  any  deeper  selfishness  than  that, 
I  have  not  found  it." 

"  I  am  sorry  you  are  not  better  informed, 
Doctor." 

"What  do  you  mean,  Miss?" 
14  I  mean  simply  this  :  When  you  say 
the  Christians  in  any  way  intimate  that 
they  only  are  disciples  of  Christ  you  show  a 
lack  of  information  not  creditable  to  a  min- 
ister of  your  standing.  So  far  from  what 
you  claim,  the  contrary  is  true.  They  re- 
cognize and  fellowship  as  brethren  all  who 
give  a  credible  evidence  of  a  christian   life. 


I  1  IOLA  ;   OR, 

They  are  also  anxious  that  all  followers  of 
the  Saviour  should  recognize  themselves  as 
christians." 

Recognize  themselves  as  christians?  What 
do  you   mean  ?" 

''I  mean  you'do  not  recognize  your  people 
as  Christians*  but  as  Baptists." 

"  There  you  are  far  from  the  truth,"  an- 
swered the  Doctor.  "We  do  recognize  our- 
selves as  christians,  but  then  we  call  ourselves 
Baptists." 

"  But,  Doctor,  can  there  be  any  good  in 
that  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes  ! — it  is  distinctive." 

"  How  is  it  distinctive?" 

"  Why,  in  this  way,  it  separates  us  from 
the  rest  of  God's  people." 

"  But,  sir,  what  good  can  there  be  in  that  ?" 

"  What  good  in  it  ?  Why  it  keeps  us  to 
ourselves — separated  from  christians  who 
differ  from  us." 

"What  can  that  accomplish?" 

"  Oh,  it  helps  us  to  preserve  our  identity 
and  keeps  the  Baptists  in  tact." 

"  How  long  will  it  do  that,  you  think  ?" 

"Till—  well,  a-h-e-m!  I-I-I-I  don't 
know,"  doubtfully  answered  the  preacher. 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 1 3 

"Certainly  not  when  you  enter  Heaven, 
for  I  heard  Dr.  Hartwell,  a  missionary  to 
China,  while  on  a  visit  to  this  country,  de- 
scribe the  death  bed  scene  of  a  Presbyterian 
missionary  in  that  far-off  land.  He  repre- 
sented him  as  a  christian  soldier  dying  in  the 
triumphs  of  a  living  faith.  He  believed  that 
Presbyterian  went  to  Heaven,  or  he  did  not 
believe  his  own  statement.  Again,  I  heard 
a  leading  Baptist  minister  speak  of  a  Metho- 
dist layman,  who  had  just  died,  as  "a  warm 
hearted  christian  man,  whose  life  bore  living 
testimony  to  the  truth  and  purity  of  his 
work  and  character  in  Christ."  Said  the 
Baptist  minister,  "  I  believe  he  is  at  rest. 
He  was  ready  and  willing  to  depart  and  be 
with  Christ."  Now,  Doctor,  I  should  like  to 
know  what  good  your  people  can  get  from  a 
name  which,  at  best,  can  only  serve  to  keep 
you  separated  from  other  disciples  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ?" 

"  I  admit  some  are  saved  who  are  not  Bap- 
tists, but  we  think  our  duty  requires  us  to 
walk  only  with  them  with  whom  we  are 
agreed." 

"  That,  Doctor,  reminds  me  of  the  '  whims' 
of  two  families  of  boys,  who  would  not  as- 


114  IOLA;   OR, 

sociate  together  while  in  the  preparatory 
school,  though  they  knew  when  they  entered 
the  higher  school  they  would  be  compelled 
to  associate.  In  this  probationary  state — 
in  this  life,  where  all  Christians  are  prepar- 
ing for  Heaven — the  Baptists  will  not  fellow- 
ship the  larger  portion  of  those  whose  robes 
have  been  washed  and  made  whiter  than 
snow  in  that  fountain  opened  for  sin  and 
uncleanness, — the  blood  of  Jesus, — although 
they  know  in  Heaven  they  will  fellowship 
the  very  saints  whom  on  earth  they  re- 
fused." 

"  It  may  seem  inconsistent  to  you,  but  we, 
at  any  rate,  are  satisfied.  Our  methods  and 
regulations  suit  our  purposes  quite  well." 

11  I  admit  that  ;  but  tell  me,  does  it  suit 
God  to  have  a  part  of  his  children,  for  whom 
Christ  died,  act  in  that  way  towards  others, 
for  whose  salvation  Christ  also  died? 

11  Further,  Doctor,  when  you  married  you 
were  the  bridegroom  and  your  wife  the  bride. 
Then  the  wife  was  married  to  the  bride- 
groom ;  and  as  such  what  was  she  called,  by 
her  maiden  name,  or  was  she  called  Mrs. 
Jenkins,  in  honor  of  the  bridegroom  to  whom 
she  had  been  married  ?" 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 1 5 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Jenkins,  of  course." 

"  Now,  then,  do  not  the  scriptures  repre- 
sent Christ  as  the  bridegroom  and  the  Church 
as  his  bride  ?  As  such,  is  not  the  Church 
married  to  Christ?" 

"Certainly;  that  is  a  plain  Biblical  fact, 
but  what  of  it  ?" 

"  Well,  if  the  Church,  the  bride,  is  married 
to  Christ,  the  bridegroom,  ought  not  the 
Church  to  be  called  in  the  name  of  the 
groom  ?" 

"That  depends,"  said  the  Doctor — 

"  Upon  what  ?"  quickly  asked  Iola. 

"  If  the  heart  be  right,  it  matters  little  as 
to  what  name  is  worn." 

11  Oh,  yes  !  I  see  now — I  understand  what 
you  mean.  If  your  wife  is  in  heart  devoted 
to  you,  that  is  all  that  is  necessary  ;  she  need 
not  wear  your  name,  some  other  man's  name 
will  do  just  as  well  for  her." 

"A-h-e-m,  not  exactly — I  did  not  mean 
just    that." 

"Ah!  Indeed,  the  case  is  parallel — 
the  principle  is  just  the  same.  I  think  the 
Saviour  has  more  right  to  complain  at 
his  church  for  not  wearing  his  name  than 
you  would  if  your  wife  should  refuse  to  be 


Ii6  IOLA  ;  OR, 

called  Mrs.  Jenkins  and  claim  to  be  Mrs. 
Joy.  I  think  you  would  justly  complain,  and 
yet  that  is  just  what  your  people  do  ;  being 
Christ's  bride,  they  refuse  to  be  called  by 
his  name,  and  call  themselves  Baptists." 

"  Well,  I  believe  the  name  Baptist  is  right, 
and  that  is  enough." 

11  Right,  did  you  say,  Doctor?  Then  all 
I  ask,  to  justify  your  claim,  is  to  show  me 
Bible  authority  for  it — name  the  book,  chap- 
ter and  verse  where  it  may  be  found,  and  I 
will  vield." 

"But  I  told  you  we  claim  to  be  Christians, 
though  we  call  ourselves  Baptists." 

"  Now  I  see  your  case  exactly.  Mr.  Edi- 
son invented  an  electric  machine,  and  he  put 
his  name  on  it.  In  a  few  weeks  another 
man  took  Mr.  Edison's  machine  and  put  his 
name  over  that  of  the  inventor,  so  obscuring 
it  and  giving  prominence  to  the  name  of  the 
second  man.  Was  there  any  justice  in  that  ?" 
asked  Iola. 

44  Certainly  not.  It  was  down  right  injus- 
tice. 

"  Yes,  I  think  so.  But,  Doctor,  is  not  that 
what  your  people  are  doing?  Jesus  Christ 
established  his  church  and  put  his- name  on-, it* 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  I  1 7 

Now  you  leave  his  name  there  and  brand  over 
it  the  word  Baptist,  thereby  well  nigh  bring- 
ing into  disuse  among  your  people  the  name 
Christian,  and  making  very  prominent  the 
name  Baptist!' 

"  Why  not  that  way?" 

"  My  dear  sir,  is  there  any  comparison  ? 
The  name  Christian  is  in  honor  of  Him  who 
suffered  and  died  for  our  salvation,  while  the 
name  Baptist  simply  points  to  an  ordinance 
in  the  church." 


Chapter   XVII. 


jj^UT  what  is  in  a  name?  'A  rose  called 
jyj!  by  another  name  smells  just  as  sweet.' 
Sc,  though  a  christian  be  called  Baptist,  he 
may  be  just  as  good  as  if  he  were  called  by 
the  proper  name." 

"A  sin  is  a  sin,"  said  Iola.  "  If  I  call  a 
rose  a  lilac  that  may  not  change  its  sweet 
fragrance,  but  it  does  misrepresent  both  the 
rose  and  the  lilac,  and  a  misrepresentation  is 
a  lie,  I  say  it  advisedly.  So  if  the  flower 
smells    as  sweet,  that  gives  us  no  right    to 


Il8  IOLA;    OR, 

name  it  falsely.  Besides,  what  is  the  neces- 
sity for  such  a  change?  If  a  rose  is  a  rose, 
whv  call  it  a  lilac?  So,  if  a  man  is  a  ckris- 
tian  what  benefit  is  gained  by  calling  him  a 
Baptist r 

"With  me  it  is  a  notion  that  suits  me — I 
am  satisfied." 

"  So  you  claim  to  be  one  thing  and  wish 
to  appear  to  be  another, — that  is,  you  profess 
to  be  a  christian  but  you  prefer  to  be  known 
as  a  Baptist." 

"  Well,  what  if  I  do  ?"    asked  the    Doctor. 

"Why  the  etymology  of  the  two  words 
shows  that  they  cannot  possibly  mean  the 
same  thing.  A  Baptist  is  one  character'and 
a  christian  is  another,  etymologically  speak- 
ing," said  the  young  girl. 

"As  to  the  etymology  that  may  be,  but 
usage  has  made  the  word  Baptist  mean  a 
follower  of  Christ." 

"  But,  sir,  shall  usage  supplant  words  and 
forms  of  speech  that  are  directly  from  the 
Master?  What  Paul  said  to  Timothy,  did  he 
not  also  say  to  you? — "  Hold  fast  the  form 
of  sound  words  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me!" 

"What  do  you  mean  by  words  directly 
from  the  Master?" 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  II9 

Doctor,  I  hold  that  the  Bible  shows  us 
that  God's  people  ought  to  be  called  CHRIS- 
TIANS, after  Christ,  and  not  Baptists,  after 
an  ordinance  of  the  church." 

"You  are  very  positive.  How  do  you 
know  that  your  statement  is  true?" 

"  Well,  sir,  since  I  was  expelled  from  the 
Baptists  because  of  my  open  communion 
views,  I  have  studied  the  matter  very  care- 
fully and  prayerfully  and  I  am  satisfied  the 
Bible  justifies  that  statement" 

"  Can  you  show  me  how  it  does  that — how 
the  Bible  shows  that  God  wishes  his  people 
to  be  called  Christians?"  evidently  believing 
that  the  young  girl  had  made  the  statement 
without  comprehending  its  scope. 

"  I  think  I  can,"  she  answered  :  ."  In  Acts 
11:  26,  latter  clause,  are  these  words:  'And 
the  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in 
Antioch."  ' 

"  Bless  the  child,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  that 
is  just  what  I  expected  you  to  say.  That  is 
a  misapplication  of  the  scripture,  for  the 
name  was  given  to  the  disciples  by  their 
enemies  in  derision,  and  was  never  intended 
by  God  to  be  a  name  for  his  people." 


120  iola;  OR, 

"  I  think  you  are  mistaken,  Doctor.  The 
Greek  translated  "  were  called,"  in  the  text 
just  quoted,  shows  it  was  done  by  divine 
direction.  Elsewhere,  too,  the  same  Greek 
word,  clirematizo,  is  used  to  express  that 
which  is  done  by  divine  authority.  It  is 
nowhere  used  in  the  scriptures  in  any  other 
sense." 

"  Are  you  sure  of  that  ?  Do  you  know 
Greek  ?" 

"  I  have  studied  Greek  some,  so  I  am  sure  I 
am  right.  You  may  take  your  Greek  Testa- 
ment and  you  will  find  what  I  have  said  is 
true.  I  will  help  you.  Turn  to  Matt.  2:  12, 
22  ;  Acts  10  :  22  ;  Heb.  8  :  5,  Heb.  11:7.  In 
all  these  passages  the  root  of  this  word  is 
used,  in  one  form  or  another  and  shows  that 
the  action  was  of  divine  authority." 

"  Upon  examination  I  find  that  is  true, 
except  the  word  Theou — "  of  God" — is  not 
in  the  Greek  at  all,  so  you  fail  to  show  what 
you  claim." 

Ves,  Doctor,  but  in  every  passage  I  have 
quoted  our  translators  supplied  it,  as  though 
it  were  there,  and  properly  so,  I  think,  for 
the    words  used    in  these  various  passages, 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  121 

meaning  to  give  divine  sanction,  instruction 
or  authority,  clearly  imply  the  phrase  "cf 
God."  If  this  is  done  in  the  passages 
quoted — and  it  is — why  not  supply  it  also  in 
Acts  1 1  :  26  where  the  same  Greek  word  is 
used?  Then  it  would  read:  "And  the  disci- 
ples were  called  of  God  Christians  first  in 
Antioch." 

"  That  is  quite  well  done  for  a  girl,  but 
you  leave  a  doubt, — ought  that  "  of  God"  to 
be  supplied  at  all  ?" 

"  I  think  so,  Doctor,  but  I  can  manage 
facts  better  than  I  can  Greek,  and  I  think 
you  can  understand  them  as  well.  So  I  will 
sustain  my  Greek  by  showing  you  that  the 
giving  of  the  name  Christian  is  a  fulfillment 
of  prophecy." 

11  A  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  indeed ! 
Where  is  the  prophecy?  Show  it  to  me." 

In  Isaiah  62:  1,2,  the  Prophet  is  fore- 
telling the  establishment  of  Christ's  kingdom 
in  the  world — when  the  Gentiles  shall  be  ad- 
mitted into  his  church.  In  the  second  verse 
the  prophet  says  : 

"And  the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteous- 
ness and  all  kings  thy  glory:  and  thou  shalt 
be   called  by  a  new  name  which  the   mouth 


122  IOLA  ;    OR, 

of  the  Lord  shall  name."  "  Beyond  all 
reasonable  doubt  this  refers  to  the  opening 
of  the  church  of  God  to  the  Gentiles." 
"I  grant  that,  but  what  if  it  does?" 
"  Very  much,  sir.  Go  with  me  now,  Doc- 
tor, to  Acts  10:  45,  last  clause.  It  reads  : 
*  *  "  On  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured 
out  the  Holy  Gho:t,"  clearly  proving  that 
this  was  the  time  to  which  Isaiah  alluded  in 
the  passage  quoted  above.  In  the  next 
chapter  and  verse  26,  immediately  following 
the  introduction  of  the  Gentiles  into  the 
gospel  church,  the  new  name  which  the  Lord 
had  promised,  in  connection  with  his  right- 
eousness, was  given — and  the  disciples  were 
called  Christians  first  in  Antioch.  This  was 
done,  if  we  may  believe  the  words  of  the 
prophet  and  the  meaning  of  the  Greek,  by 
divine  authoritv  or  direction.  Then  if  the 
Greek  translated  "  were  called,"  shows  that 
the  calling  was  done  by  divine  authority; 
and  if  the  prophet  said  the  Gentiles  should 
be  admitted  into  the  Church  of  Christ,  and 
that  then  a  new  name  should  be  given  his 
people  by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord;  and,  if 
the  Gentiles  were  admitted  at  that  time, 
and   the  name  Christian    was    given   just 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  123 

then  to  the  disciples,  I  ask,  in  all  candor, 
does  not  the  Bible  sustain  me  when  I  say 
God's  people  ought  to  be  called  CHRIS- 
TIANS ?" 

11  I  must  confess.  Iola,  that  there  is  more 
scriptural  ground  for  your  position  than  I 
had  known  before.  I  never  saw  that  proph- 
ecy and  its  fulfillment  in  that  light.  If  you 
are  right,  I  am  quite  sure  there  was  a  reason 
for  the  new  name.  God  does  nothing  with- 
out a  reason.  So  far  I  have  never  seen  any 
reason  for  a  new  name." 

11  Oh  !  there  is  a  reason,  and  a  very  good 
one,  Doctor." 

"  Well,  let  me  have  it  then." 

u  You  know  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  hated 
each  other.  When  the  Gentiles  came  into  the 
church  it  introduced  not  only  anew,  but  an 
objectionable,  element.  The  Gentiles  would 
certainly  not  be  willing  to  be  called  Jews, 
and  the  Jews  would  not  be  willing  to  be 
called  Gentiles,  hence,  in  order  to  have  peace 
in  a  church  composed  of  both  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, old  party  names  must  be  given  up  and 
some  new  name  substituted — one  to  which 
neither  Jew  nor  Gentile  could  object.  The 
new  name  CHRISTIAN  was  therefore  given. 


124  IOLA  ;  OR, 

It  was  given  by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  be- 
cause, if  a  Jew  had  given  it,  the  Gentiles 
would  not  have  worn  it ;  and,  if  by  a  Gentile, 
the  Jews  would  not.  When  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  named  the  Church,  none  wished  to 
object — I.  Because  of  the  Author  of  the 
name  ;  and  2,  because  of  the  name  itself.  It 
had  no  Jewish  feature  in  it,  nor  did  it  savor 
of  heathenism.  It  swept  clear  of  sects  and 
parties,  and  pointed  only  to  Christ.  Here 
the  God-given  name  has  a  decided  advantage 
over  sect  and  party  names.  Take  for  an  ex- 
ample the  name  Baptist.  It  represents  but 
one  idea,  and  that  belonging  to  controver- 
sials  theology  ;  it  unduly  exalts  an  ordi- 
nance in  the  church,  and  has  under  usage 
come  to  be  suggestive  of  strife  and  conten- 
tion. But  the  name  CHRISTIAN  represents 
all  that  is  precious  in  Christianity,  and  calls 
up  before  the  mind  God  in  his  love,  Christ 
in  his  self-sacrifice,  Christian  fellowship  with 
its  tender  and  elevating  influences,  and 
Heaven  in  all  its  glory.  Around  it  clusters 
all  that  is  grand  and  inspiring  in  the  whole 
system  of  salvation." 

"  I  confess,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  you  have 
shown  your  side  to  decided  advantage.    But 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 25 

it  is  not  practicable,  for  usage  has  made 
other  names  more  common  appellations  for 
the  people  of  God,  so  I  do  not  see  how  you 
can  hope  to  stand  with  so  much  against 
you." 

"  Indeed,  sir,  I  think  I  can  hope  to  stand 
with  the  Bible.  I  have  regarded  Baptists 
as  staunch  defenders  of  the  Bible,  noted  for 
taking  what  it  says.  Now  if  the  Bible  does 
not  authorize  your  name,  how  can  you  wear 
it  with  an  easy  conscience?" 

"  We  have  no  trouble  on  that  point, 
though  the  Bible  may  not  authorize  the 
name  Baptist  as  it  does  Christian!'' /( 

"  If  you  admit  that,  then  you  ought  to  do 
as  I  have  done,  and  mean  to  do,  renounce 
the  name  Baptist  and  wear  only  the  name 
CHRISTIAN.  If  the  Bible  does  not  authorize 
the  name  we  should  not  use  it.  Devout  and 
great  men,  even  in  the  earliest  times  have 
expressed  clearly  this  opinion.  Cyprian,  one 
of  the  Latin  fathers  said  :  "  God  has  testi- 
fied that  we  are  to  do  those  things  that  are 
written  ;  whence  have  you  that  tradition  ?" 
Cyril,  who  lived  in  the  fourth  century,  said  : 
"  It  behooveth  us  not  to  believe  the  very 
least  thing  of  the  sacred  mysteries  of  faith 


126  IOLA  ;  ok, 

without  the  Holy  Scriptures."  Jerome,  who 
lived  in  the  fifth  century,  said:  "Those 
things  which  without  the  authority  of  the 
scriptures,  men  invent  of  their  own  heads,  as 
from  Apostolic  traditions,  are  smitten  of 
God."  One  of  the  martyrs  of  olden  times 
said  ;  "  I  had  rather  follow  the  shadow  of 
Christ  than  the  body  of  all  the  general  coun- 
cils or  doctors,  since  the  death  of  Christ." 
So,  Doctor,  if  the  scriptures  do  not  authorize 
the  name  Baptist,  I  do  not  see  how  you  can 
consistently  wear  it,  knowing  that  the  name 
Christian  was  given  by  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord.     We  ought  not  to  fight  against  God." 

11  Oh,  you  ought  not  to  clamor  so  much 
for  the  name  Christian — that  belongs  to  us 
all."  /  if' 

"  Yes,  Doctor,  I  gladly  admit  that,  but 
why  do  you  not  wear  it  since  it  is  yours?" 

11  Because  other  names  suit  us  better.  Be- 
sides Baptist  is  a  scriptural  name.  I  can 
show  you  my  authority  from  the  Bible  for 
that." 

11  Please  do  so,  Doctor,  I  am  anxious  to 
see  it. 

"  Very  well.  Turn  to  Matt.  3:  I.  John 
is   spoken  of   as  a   Baptist.      He  had   many 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 27 

disciples  and  of  course  they    were   Baptists, 
too. 

"  I   admit  all  of  that,  but   the  point   you 
make  is  against  you." 

"  How,  I  would  be  glad  to  know?" 
Well,  in  this  way:  John  the  Baptist  was 
the  forerunner  of  Jesus,  hence  his  work  was 
not  under  the  Christian  dispensation  at  all. 
Then  John's  disciples  were  not  converts  to 
Christ." 

"  How  do  you  know  they  were  not?" 
"  I  know  it,  sir,  because  the  Bible  tells  me 
they  were  not." 

"  Please  give  me  book,  chapter  and  verse." 
11  Read  Acts  19:  1-6,  sir.     That  will  satis- 
fy you  beyond  question." 
Turning  to  it,  he  read  : 
11  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  while  Apollos 
was  at  Corinth,  Paul  having  passed  through 
the    upper    coasts  came  to     Ephesus ;    and 
finding  certain  disciples,  he  said  unto  them, 
Have  ye  received  the    Holy  Ghost  since  ye 
believed?  And  they  said  unto  him,   We  have 
not  so  much  as  heard   whether  there  be  any 
Holy  Ghost.     And  he  (Paul)  said  unto  them, 
unto  what  then  were  ye  baptized?  And  they 
said,  unto  John's  baptism.     Then  said  Paul, 


128  IOLA;    OR, 

John  verily  baptized  with  the  baptism  of 
repentance,  saying  unto  the  people,  that 
they  should  believe  on  him  which  should 
come  after  him,  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus. 
And  when  they  heard  this,  they  were  bap- 
tized in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And 
when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  on  them,  the 
Holy  Ghost  came  on  them  ;  and  they  spake 
with  tongues  and  prophesied." 

"  Do  you  believe  it  now,  Doctor?"  she 
asked  with  the  brightness  of  conscious  vic- 
tory beaming  from  her  eyes. 

"  Yes,  you  are  right  there,  they  were  sim- 
ply disciples  of  John  the  Baptist." 

"  Now,  then,  your  scriptural  authority  for 
wearing  the  name  Baptist,  please  ?" 

"  There  is  no  Biblical  authority,  I  believe, 
but  the  devotion  with  which  our  people  have 
fought  for  baptism  by  immersion  entitles  us 
to  the  name." 

11  Then  it  is  the  devotion  of  your  people 
to  immersion,  as  the  mode  of  baptism,  that 
gives  them  the  Baptist  name,  and  not  the 
Bible.  As  a  name  it  simply  expresses  their 
relationship  to  baptism." 

"I  will  admit  that?" 

"  That   is  not    Bible  doctrine.     I  wish  to 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 29 

join  a  church  whose  name  is  expressive  of 
the  relationship  we  bear  to  Christ,  as  the 
Saviour  of  the  world — a  name  given  by  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord.  I  hope  soon  to  be  a 
member  of  a  church  whose  name  is  all  of 
that." 

"  But  the  name  is  of  little  consequence,  if 
the  heart  is  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  the  name  chosen  by 
the  mouth  of  the  Lord  is  of  little  conse- 
quence?" 

<l  I  would  not  say  that,  but  I  think  I  can 
serve  the  Lord  and  be  called  a  Baptist."   >r 

"So  can  your  bosom  companion  be  your 
wife  and  yet  wear  a  name  not  your  own,  but 
that  would  not  please  you.  You  see  a  name 
does  mean  something." 

"Oh!  that  is  all  a  notion  of   yours,  Iola." 

"  Perhaps  it  is,  but  let  us  examine  the 
matter.  When  I  say  George  Washington, 
what  do  I  mean  ?" 

"  You  mean  the  first  President  of  the  Uni- 
ted States." 

"  How  do  you  know  I  do  ?" 

''  Because  the  name  shows  it." 

"  But,  Doctor,  did  you  not  say  a  name 
meant  nothing?" 

5 


130  IOLA;   OR, 

"  I  did,  but  of  course,  in  this  case  it  does 
mean  a  certain  character." 

"  If  so   in    this,  why  not   in  other  cases?" 

"To  a  certain  extent  it  is,  but  any  other 
man  might  be  called  George  Washington 
and  then  it  would  not  mean  the  same  thing." 

"That  but  confirms  the  idea  I  am  pre- 
senting. I  claim  that  the  character  of  the 
first  President  of  the  United  States  gives  a 
meaning  and  power  to  his  name,  and  then 
that  name  becomes  his  representative.  So 
the  character  of  a  christian  and  the  name 
combined  gives  meaning  and  power,  and 
that  name  becomes  the  representative  of  the 
pure  and  godly  life  of  the  person  wearing  it. 
The  name  of  a  follower  of  Christ  does  mean 
something." 

11 1  think  you  are  making  a  hobby  of  the 
name  idea,"  said  Dr.  Jenkins. 

"  Before  you  condemn  me,  let  me  illustrate 
my  idea  yet  further.  When  I  speak  of  an 
American,  whom  do  you  understand  me  to 
mean,  Doctor  ?" 

'•  Certainly  a  native  or  naturalized  citizen 
of  America." 

"  But    how  do  you    know  that  I  do   not 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 3  t 

mean  a  native  and  present  resident  of 
France  ?" 

"Oh!  that  is  clear  enough.  You  never 
could  get  the  name  American  to  mean  a 
Frenchman." 

"  Why  not,  sir?" 

"  Because  the  name  shows  what  is  meant  ?" 

"  But  you  say  a  name  signifies  little." 

"  That  is  true  in  some  cases,  while  in 
others  its  meaning  is  plain." 

"  I  see  now,"  said  Iola,  "  you  mean  to  say 
that  it  matters  little  as  to  what  a  boy  is 
named;  John  or  William  will  not  change  his 
character,  but  when  the  name  is  the  out- 
growth of  one's  character  or  nationality,  as 
in  the  case  of  an  American,  the  name  does 
signify  very  much.  Is  that  your  idea,  Doc- 
tor?" 

"  Exactly  that  !" 

"  Very  well,  sir.  Is  not  the  name  Chris- 
tian the  outgrowth  of  the  character  of  the 
person  wearing  it?" 

11  Certainly  it  is." 

"Then  you  admit  that  the  name  Christian 
does  signify  much?" 

"  I  cheerfully  admit  that  it  signifies  a  fol- 
lower of  Christ,  Iola." 


132  iola;  oft, 

May  I  ask  you,  Doctor,  is  not  the  name 
Baptist  of  the  same  class  of  names  as  that 
of  Christian?  That  is,  it  is  the  outgrowth  of 
distinctive  features  in  the  character  of  the 
person  wearing  it." 

"  That  is  true,  my  young  friend.  I  think 
you    begin  to   see  the  matter  in   its   proper 

light." 

"So  you  admit  that  the  name  Baptist,  as 
applied  to  your  people,  does  signify  very 
much  ?" 

"Yes,  indeed.     It  signifies" 

"  But  stop,  if  you  please,  Doctor.  I  wish 
to  ask  you  to  give  the  significance  of  the 
name  Baptist,  both  from  the  etymology  of 
the  word  and  from  the  character  of  those 
wearing  it." 

"  I  will  do  so  with  pleasure,  and  to  make 
the  matter  short,  from  both  standpoints,  it 
simply  means  a  believer  in  baptism  by  im- 
mersion." 

"  That  is  it,  sir,  I  suppose.  Now  I  have 
the  difference  in  the  people  represented  by 
the  two  names  as  taken  down  from  your 
own  lips.     You  say  : 

"A  christian  is  a  follower  ot  Christ." 

"  Yes,  that  is  true." 


Facing  the  truth. 


i33 


"  And  you  also  say  that  a  Baptist  is  a  be- 
liever in  baptism  by  immersion  only." 

"  That  is  correct,  also." 

"  Now,  then,  which  would  you  prefer, 
to  be  known  as  a  follower  of  Christ,  or 
as  a  believer  in  baptism  by  immersion 
only  ?  You  see  the  name  of  the  follower  of 
Christ — christian — points  to  Christ  as  the 
central  thought  of  our  hope  of  salvation  ; 
while  the  name  of  the  believer  in  baptism 
by  immersion  only — Baptist — points  to  bap- 
tism as  the  central  idea  of  that  people,  with^ 
out  necessary  reference  to  Christ  or  Chris- 
tianity." 

"  You  must  give  me  a  little  time  to  con- 
sider my  answer  to  that  point.  I  wish  al- 
ways to  be  found  on  the  side  of  the 
Saviour." 


Chapter  XVIII. 


YfY;HEN,  Doctor,  while  you  consider,  I  will 
§§AJ§  say  this:  According  to  your  statement 
of  the  significance  of  these  names,  and  I  think 
you  are  right,  the  name  Baptist  draws  atten- 


134  iola;  or, 

tion  away  from  Jesus  and  fixes  it  on  a  mere 
religious  rite,  and  this  rite  may  be  christian 
or  heathen,  while  the  name  Christian,  chosen 
and  given  by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  points 
the  believer   away   from    earth    and  self  to 
Christ  and  Heaven.     I  rejoice   in  the   hope 
of  soon  being  a  member  of  a  church  whose 
name  cannot  be  misunderstood  by  any  Eng- 
lish speaking   people,  for  the    English  lan- 
guage cannot  prevent  the  name  CHRISTIAN 
from  meaning  a  follower  of  Christ.     Other 
denominations    may    mislead    by    wearing 
party  names,  since  the  English  meaning  of 
their    names   indicate,    as  they  do,    merely 
human    organizations.     For    instance,    the 
name      Lutheran      means      a     follower    of 
Luther.       Episcopalian     implies    an    adhe- 
rent to  a   form  of  government,   etc.    These 
names  are  confusing  and  misleading.     They 
are  wholly  unnecessary,  when  we  have  given 
us  by  the   mouth  of   the  Lord,  a  name   at 
once  beautiful  and  so  expressive  of  our  rela- 
tionship to  Christ— C  H  Rl  S  TI  AN.       I    am 
thrilled  at   the  thought,  and  I  wonder  who, 
that  feels  his  or  her  sins  forgiven,  could  look 
Jesus  in  the  face  and  say  I  am  a  Baptist,  or 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 35 

Lutheran,  or  Episcopalian,  rather  than  say 
I  am  a  Christian?" 

"  But,  Iola,  you  must  remember  we  need 
some  distinctive  name,  and  Christian  is  not 
distinctive." 

"  Alas  !  my  dear  sir,  there  are  but  two 
classes  in  the  world,  Christians  and  sinners, 
and  when  a  person  is  a  Christian  I  think  that 
sufficiently  tells  where  he  is  and  to  which 
class  he  belongs — it  is  simple  and  plain — it 
is  enough.  God  gave  his  church  this  new 
name,  and  placed  it  above  party  influences, 
outside  of  ordinances  or  forms  of  govern- 
ment, knowing  how  hurtful  these  would  be 
to  his  cause.  He  therefore  gave  a  name 
truly  and  strictly  in  honor  of  the  great  Head 
of  the  Church — Jesus  Christ." 

"  You  seem  to  think  the  name  CHRISTIAN 
worn  by  the  church  militant  would  add  much 
to  its  peace  and  harmony." 

"  Yes,  if,  in  wearing  it,  they  would  do  so 
exclusively — leaving  off  the  names  of  par- 
ties and  sects.  There  is  ro  question  but 
that  the  name  of  a  people  does  more  to 
bring  harmony  of  opinion  among  them  than 
any  other  one  thing.  It  is  a  well  known 
fact,    Doctor,    that    your  people — the   Bap- 


136  IOLA;    OR, 

tists — are  far    from    being   united   on   many 
important  points  of  doctrine,  and  yet  under 
the  name  Baptist  they  live  in   peace  among 
themselves.     Let  me  illustrate  my  idea  :    A 
comes   into   your   church.     He  believes  the 
doctrine  of  free  grace,  rejecting  predestina- 
tion.    He  is  an    immersionist,  and    nothing 
is  said  :  you  fellowship  him — he  is  a  brother. 
Now   here  is  another   disciple,   B.     He  is  a 
Methodist,   but    believes  in   baptism  by  im- 
mersion, was  immersed  by  a  descendant  of 
Ezekiel     Holliman,    baptistically    speaking, 
but  does  not  believe  in  predestination.  With 
him  the  Baptist   brethren    often  dispute  on 
that  subject,  accusing    him  of    unsoundness 
in   the  faith.     Now,  why   this  difference  in 
their  conduct    toward   A  and  B?     Both  be- 
lieve in   free  grace,  and  both   believe  in  and 
practice  immersion,  Then,  why  is  it?  Mani- 
festly because  one  is  called  Baptist  and  the 
other  Methodist.     I  am  quite  sure  if  all  had 
been  called   CHRISTIAN,   there    would    have 
been  no  trouble,  or  strife,  or  division  among 
them.      This    establishes    my.  claim — party 
names  in  the  church  lead  to  strife  and  divis- 
ion and  sin.     In  fact,  I  believe  party  names 
are  a  curse  to  the  church  to-day,  just  as  the 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  I37 

Jewish  name  was  to  the  Jews  when  they  re- 
fused to  accept  the  new  name  which  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  had  given  them.  In 
Isaiah  6$:  15  (read  the  whole  chapter),  he 
says  to  these  unbelieving  Jews:  "And  ye 
shall  leave  your  name  for  a  curse  unto  my 
chosen,  for  the  Lord  God  shall  slay  thee, 
and  call  his  servants  by  another  name" — 
Christian.  So,  Doctor,  I  feel  that  the  disci- 
ples of  Jesus  who  to-day  hold  on  to  these 
party  names  instead  of  accepting  the  God- 
given  name,  find  them  a  curse  to  their 
spiritual  life,  in  the  strife  and  division  kept 
up  among  God's  children." 

"  Then  you  believe  the  name  is  a  power 
for  good  or  bad,  for  union  or  disunion." 

"  Yes,  sir.  Were  all  God's  people  to-day 
called  by  the  new  name,  divinely  given  as  it  is, 
in  all  probability  nine-tenths  of  the  division 
and  strife  among  the  various  churches  would 
never  be  heard  of  again.  Of  this  the  Chris- 
tian Church  furnishes  a  beautiful  exam- 
ple." 

"  I  do  not  see  how  it  does,"  added  the 
Doctor. 

"  In  this  way,  sir.  The  motto  of  the  or- 
ganization is  this  :  '  In  Essentials,  Unity;  in 


138  IOLA;   OR, 

Non-essentials,  Liberty ;  in  all  things,  Char- 
ity' You  see  we  all  accept  the  essential  or 
fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Bible  as  one 
man ;  but  when  mere  matters  of  opinion 
touching  minor  points  come  up,  we  give  all 
liberty.  They  study  and  decide  these  matters 
for  themselves,  meanwhile  we  endeavor  to 
be  charitable  to  all  and  under  all  circum- 
stances. In  matters  of  opinion  they  differ 
often,  in  kindness,  but  in  these  they  are  as 
far  from  doctrinal  strife  and  division  as  the 
east  is  from  the  west  Their  success  in  this 
is  due  largely  to  the  fact  that  they  wear  the 
name  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  Heaven 
and  earth  is  named — CHRISTIAN." 

"But  as  I  have  before  said,  Iola,  taste  has 
much  to  do  with  a  name." 

"■Can  you  tell  me,  Doctor,  a  name  that 
would  be  in  better  taste;  a  name  more  ap- 
propriate for  the  disciples  of  Christ — than 
Christian?" 

"Of  course  it  is  in  good  taste,  even  appro- 
priate. Since  you  seem  so  wedded  to  this 
new  faith,  please  tell  me  something  of  its 
history  and  leading  principles  outside  of  the 
name." 

"  I   will  do  so.     From  what  I  can  gather 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 39 

the  organization  dates  from  Aug.  4,  1794. 
Rev.  James  O'Kelly,  a  giant  among  the 
Methodist  preachers  in  his  day,  found  the 
autocratic  powers  of  the  Bishop  so  distaste- 
ful to  his  sense  of  liberty  in  Christ  that  he 
withdrew  from  those  brethren,  and,  after 
various  conference  meetings  without  any 
permanent  organization,  in  a  meeting  held 
at  Lebanon  church  in  Surry  county,  Va.,  on 
the  4th  day  of  August  1794,  Rev.  Rice  Hag- 
gard arose  and  proposed  that  the  brethren 
adopt  the  name  CHRISTIAN  to  the  exclusion 
of  all  party  or  sectarian  names,  and  so  put 
themselves  on  scriptural  grounds.  The  mo- 
tion prevailed  and  the  few  followers  of  Christ 
went  out  from  that  meeting  determined  no 
more  to  wear  a  sect  name.  A  short  time 
after  this  a  similar  movement  among  the 
Presbyterians  in  the  west  followed,  and  the 
same  is  true  of  the  Baptists  of  New  Eng- 
land. Thus  it  seems  that  a  great  upheaval 
against  bigotry  was  in  progress.  The  Metho- 
dists of  the  south,  the  Presbyterians  of  the 
west  and  the  Baptists  of  New  England,  were 
moving  to  a  common  center.  At  length 
each  movement  heard  of  the  other.  A  mu- 
tual correspondence,  followed,  and,  strange 


140  IOLA;   OR, 

as  it  may  seem,  when  these  Methodists  and 
Presbyterians  and  Baptists  came  together 
they  found  that  they  were  already  one  in 
Christ.  From  the  year  1800  to  this  present 
time  they  have  laboied  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel  among  men  without  the  help  of  a 
sectarian  name.  They  have  labored  in  the 
unity  of  the  spirit,  showing  that  no  reason 
exists  why  Baptists  and  Presbyterians  and 
other  sects  may  not  unite  in  christian  work 
under  the  divinely  appointed  name  CHRIS- 
TIAN. In  this  respect  no  movement  since 
the  days  of  Martyn  Luther  has  been  more 
remarkable,  in  fact  it  is  perhaps  without  a 
parallel  since  the  day  of  Pentecost  when 
Parthians,  Medes  and  Elamites,  with  many 
others,  under  the  spirit's  influence  came  to- 
gether and  with  one  accord  labored  for  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  So 
the  movement  from  its  very  incipiency 
seemed  to  gather  to  itself  men  of  different 
sect  views,  so  pointing  to  the  healing  of  the 
wounds  strife  and  division  had  made  in  the 
church  of  Christ." 

11  That  is  remarkable,  Iola,  to  say  the  least 
of  it,  if  it  be  true." 

"  If  it  be  true  !    The  facts   I   have  given 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  141 

you,  history  will  sustain  without  a  doubt." 
"But,  Iola,  I  am  anxious  to  know  some- 
thing of  their  leading  principles.  Principles 
are  of  more  vital  importance  to  you  in  this 
instance  than  history.  A  pretty  history 
does  not  signify  soundness  of  faith." 

"Well,  Doctor,  I  will  take  pleasure  in  dis- 
cussing with  you  their  cardinal  principles. 
They  hold  that  as  followers  of  our  Lord 
they  ought  to  show  their  love  to  God  and 
men  and  their  relationship  and  faithfulness 
to  Christ  in  their  name,  practice,  character 
and  principles. 

"So  they  start  out  with  the  following: 

I.  CHRIST  is  the  only  Head  of  the  church. 

II.  We  wear  no  name  but  Christian. 

III.  The  BIBLE  is  our  guide  and  only  rule 
of  faith  and  practice. 

IV.  Christian  character  is  our  only  test  of 
fellowship  and  of  church  membership. 

V.  The  right  of  private  judgment  and  the 
liberty  of  conscience  is  accorded  to  all^ 

"  Wellj  Iola,  do  I  understand  you  to  say 
that  you  can  join  the  CHRISTIANS  simply 
upon  the  basis  of  a  christian  character,  re- 
gardless of  the  candidate's  views  of  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  supper?" 


142  IOLA;   OR, 

"Yes,  sir.  If  a  man  gives  a  credible  evi- 
dence of  his  acceptance  with  God  and  lives 
a  christian  life  so  far  as  can  be  known  from 
his  daily  walk,  they  receive  him  without 
prescribing  the  mode  of  his  baptism.  After 
he  has  joined  the  church  he  can  be  baptized 
by  immersion,  or  pouring,  or  sprinkling,  as 
his  conscience  may  demand." 

"I  am  surprised  at  you,  Iola." 

"Why,  Doctor?" 

"You  were  raised  by  a  Baptist  father, 
educated  in  a  Baptist  school,  baptized  in  a 
Baptist  church,  and  now  to  think  of  joining 
a  people,  holding  such  views,  I  am  surprised 
at  you  ! 

"  Well,  sir,  will  you  please  state  your  ob 
jections  to  this  people?" 

"  They  are  many.  Christian  character  is 
a  good  thing,  but  other  things  can  not  be 
neglected.  Baptism  is  essential  to  church 
membership." 

"  Where  is  your  authority  for  this  state- 
ment ?" 

"The  ordinance  was  instituted  for  that 
purpose  and  should  be  so  observed.  When 
you  receive  a  man  by  pouring  or  sprinkling, 
you  violate  God's  law," 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  143 

I  do  not  think  that  is  true.  The  Bible 
nowhere  says  so,  and  besides,  I  have  good 
baptist  authority  for  my  side  of  the  ques- 
tion. John  Bunyan  was  a  grand  good  man 
and  a  Baptist.  He  says  in  his:  'A  Reason 
of  My  Practice  in  Worship,'  there  is  none 
debarred,  nor  threatened  to  be  cut  off  from 
the  church  if  they  be  not  baptized  ;  neither 
doth  it  give  to  the  person  baptized  a  being 
of  membership  with  this  or  that  church  by 
whose  members  he  was  baptized." 

'"But,  Iola,  he  was  not  a  good  Baptist — he 
was  unsound  in  our  faith." 

"Yea,  I  dare  say  he  was  not,  but  he  was  a 
good  christian  and  sound  in  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints.  I  think  his  opinions 
are  sustained  by  the  Bible  and  accord  with 
the  spirit  of  Christianity." 

II  Immersion  only  is  baptism." 

"  Can  you,  Doctor,  give  me  one  case  of 
baptism  by  immersion,  as  administered  by 
the  disciples  of  Jesus?" 

"  Certainly,  a  dozen  if  you  wish  them." 

"  One  will  do,  sir." 

"Very  well, — turn  to' Acts  8;  38,  here  we 
find  that  Phillip  baptized  the  Eunuch." 

11  Was  it  by  immersion  ?" 


144  10LA;   OK, 

"Certainly — no  doubt  about  that." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?" 

"  Because  it  says  so.  Baptized  means  im- 
mersed." 

"  If  so,  then  the  baptism  of  the  Eunuch 
presents  a  remarkable  case,"  said  Iola. 

"  How  is  it  remarkable?" 

"  Well,  sir,  if  the  unwritten  law  of  Mason- 
ry should  direct  its  chief  officer  to  receive 
new  members  under  certain  forms  and  cere- 
monies, do  you  think  he  would  receive  them 
according  to  directions,  or  would  he  choose 
some  new  plan  of  his  own?" 

11  Of  course,  he  would  follow  the  unwritten 
law,  but  what  can  that  have  to  do  with  the 
question  under  consideration  ?" 

"  Very  much,  perhaps.  Philip  was  preach- 
ing to  the  Eunuch,  not  from  an  unwritten 
law,  but  from  the  written.  The  Eunuch 
was  reading  from  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah. 
The  passage  was  this:  '  He  (Christ)  was  led 
as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter,  etc.'  We  are 
then  told  that  Philip  began  at  this  same 
scripture  and  preached  unto  him  Jesus,  after 
which  the  Eunuch  was  baptized.  Now  in 
the  very  same  paragraph — in  the  latter  part 
of   the  preceding  chapter — the   prophet    is 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 45 

telling  of  the  work  Jesus  will  do  when  he 
comes,  and  he  says,  "  So  shall  he  (Christ) 
sprinkle  many  nations" — Isaiah  52:  15. 

"  Now  the  Eunuch  learned  his  duty  from 
Philip.  Philip's  text  was  taken  from  a 
paragraph  in  the  scriptures  in  which  it  is 
declared  that  Jesus  shall  sprinkle  many  na- 
tions, etc." — that  is  under  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation. So  I  say  it  would  be  indeed  re- 
markable, if  with  a  written  law  declaring  in 
favor  of  sprinkling,  and  Philip  preaching 
from  that  law,  the  Eunuch  should  learn  of 
immersion  as  the  only  door  into  the  church. 
With  this  law  written  so  plainly,  it  is  hard 
to  see  how  it  is  so  much  misunderstood.  It 
is  hard  to  see  how  Philip  could  teach  from 
that  scripture  immersion,  and  yet  harder  to 
see  how  the  Eunuch  ever  learned  immersion' 
to  be  the  only  mode  of  baptism  ;  still  just 
after  reading  it  and  hearing  a  sermon 
preached  from  it  he  was  baptized — how  ?" 

"  Oh  !  Isaiah  is  talking  of  another  matter 
there." 

"  No  sir,  I  maintain  that  the  meaning  of 
the  Hebrew  word  here  translated  "  sprinkle," 
is    to  sprinkle  with    water  as    a  symbol    of 


146  IOLA  ;   OR, 

purification.  This  answers  to  our  idea  of 
baptism." 

"But  I  insist  that  immersion  is  essential 
to  church  membership.  The  Bible  says  so," 
he  declared. 

11 1  see  you  do  not  answer  my  arguments, 
Doctor,  before  you  go  on  to  something  else. 
Is  it  because  you  can  not?" 

"  No,  but  I  insist  that  the  Bible  is  with 
me. 

"  Very  well,  but  please  tell  me  how  Philip 
and  the  Eunuch  made  that  word  sprinkle 
mean  im  merse  ? ' ' 

"  I  am  following  the  New  Testament,  my- 
self." 

"  Does  that  sustain  you  ?  If  so,  where?" 

"It  does,  Iola.  In  Mark  16:  16,  we  read  : 
1  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
damned.'  " 

)'  Yes  sir,  but  it  does  not  say  that  because 
one  is  not  baptized  he  shall  be  lost.  It  says 
that  only  of  those  who  do  not  believe.  So 
belief,  and  not  baptism,  is  essential  to  salva- 
tion, and  the  CHRISTIANS  are  noted  as  be- 
lievers.    As  to  pouring  and  sprinkling  I  do 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  I47 

not    see  that  the  passage  you   quote    from 
Mark  is  against  either." 

"  Indeed,  Iola  !  I  am  surprised,  pained,  to 
hear  such  language  fall  from  your  lips.  Bap- 
tize means  to  immerse." 

11  Perhaps,  but  you  have  not  yet  shown 
me  how  Philip  and  the  Eunuch  made 
sprinkle  mean  immerse." 

"  The  Greek  word  baptidzo  means  im- 
merse only,  and  that  is  enough." 

"  I  question  that,  too,  Doctor." 

"  What,  in  the  face  of  the  word  itself  ? 
Modern  scholarship  and  the  learned  men  of 
all  denominations,  agree  that  it  means  im- 
merse." 

"  Now,  Doctor.  I  have  two  things  to  say. 
First  as  to  the  learned  men.  I  have  heard 
that  time  and  again.  I  use  to  think  it  was 
true.  I  have  enquired,  and  the  state- 
ment is  not  supported  by  facts.  The 
learned  men  of  other  denominations  do  not 
agree  to  such  a  thing.  As  to  the  meaning 
of  the  word  itself,  I  wish  to  say  that  upon 
actual  examination  of  Liddell  and  Scott's 
Greek  Lexicon,  I  find  it  means  to  dip  re- 
peatedly, to  dip,  to  pour,  to  sprinkle.  With 
all  these  meanings  coming  to  us  from   the 


148  IOLA  ;   OR, 

Greek,  the  CHRISTIANS  say  it  is  impossible 
for  human  learning  to  determine  positively 
the  mode  of  baptism.  Good  and  great  men 
have  always  differed  here.  So  there  is  no 
reasonable  hope  of  agreement.  Hence  they 
allow  the  liberty  of  conscience  as  to  the 
mode,  and  they  avoid  the  bitter  strife  which 
controversy  on  that  subject  is  sure  to  bring." 

"  But,  pray  tell  me  what  has  baptism  to 
do  with  the  conscience?  It  is  a  command 
and  not  a  matter  of  conscience  at  all,"  said 
he,  with  emphasis. 

"  Peter  differs  from  you  about  that.  In 
I  Peter  3:  21,  we  read  that  it  is  the  answer 
of  a  good  conscience  toward  God.  Hence 
the  Christians  say  to  applicants  for  mem- 
bership in  their  church  :  As  to  the  mode  of 
baptism,  that  is  a  point  of  controversy  about 
which  the  best  scholars  differ  widely.  We, 
therefore,  urge  you  to  study  your  Bible  care- 
fully and  prayerfully,  form  your  own  opin- 
ions, and  in  the  fear  of  God  be  baptized  by 
the  mode  which  satisfies  your  conscience. 
Really,  sir,  you  must  admit  they  have 
grounds  upon  which  to  stand." 

11  It  may  be  good  ground  for  them,  but 
not  for  me." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  I49 

44  But,  Doctor,  we  cannot  be  the  judge  of 
another's  conscience — before  God  he  will 
stand  or  fall.  So,  when  one  asks  for  baptism 
by  pouring  or  sprinkling,  and  pleads  as  his 
right  to  do  so  the  passage  from  Peter,  how 
can  you  deny  him,  his  life  being  that  of  a 
christian  ?" 

"  We  deny  him  because  we  do  not  believe 
his  views  are  correct — he  is  wrong." 

"Then  to  come  into  your  church  you 
would  require  him  to  be  baptized  on  your 
faith  and  not  on  his." 

"  We  do  not  ask  that,  but  we  do  not  bap- 
tize him." 

"  Then  you  would  turn  away  from  God's 
church  one  of  God's  children — send  him  to 
live  and  associate  with  the  world,  out  from 
the  influences  of  the  church  ;  and  all  this, 
not  because  he  is  not  known  to  be  a  godly 
man,  nor  vet  because  he  does  not  believe  in 
baptism,  for  he  does,  but  simply  because  he 
does  not  understand  the  mode  of  baptism  as 
you  do.  On  the  other  hand,  here  is  a  man 
who  upon  profession  of  faith  is  immersed, 
joins  your  church,  and  you  fellowship  him, 
though  you  know,  as  between  the  two,  the 
christian  character  of  the  rejected  man  is  far 


150  IOLA;    OK, 

more  consistent  than  that  of  the  one  you 
received.  You  see  you  rejected  the  first, 
not  because  he  was  not  a  christian,  but  be- 
cause he  could  not  follow  you  as  touching  the 
mode  of  baptism,  while  you  accepted  the 
other,  not  because  his  life  was  exemplary  as 
a  christian,  but  because  he  followed  you  in 
the  mode  of  baptism.  Now,  Doctor,  tell  me 
candidly,  what' do  you  think  Jesus  would 
say  to  such  conduct  as  that  on  the  part  of 
his  people?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  have  no  means  of  knowing." 

"I  think  I  have,  Doctor;  for  in  Mark  9: 
38,  we  find  an  incident  which  illustrates  how 
Jesus  felt  about  it." 

"  To  what  do  you  allude?" 

"  Why,  to  this,  John  went  to  Jesus  and 
said  :  '  Master,  we  saw  one  casting  out  devils 
in  thy  name,  and  he  followeth   not  us  ;  and 

we  forbade    him,  because    he   followeth  not 

»  >> 
us. 

"Then  Jesus  said:  'Forbid  him  not:  for 
there  is  no  man  which  shall  do  a  miracle  in 
my  name,  that  can  lightly  speak  evil  of  me.' 

"That  was- a  different  case." 

"  Certainly  it  was,  Doctor,  but  the  princi- 
ple is   just    the    same;  and  I  think  if   you 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 5  I 

should  go  and  tell  Jesus  that  ycu  had  refused 
to  allow  a  certain  child  of  God  to  come  into 
his  church  simply  because  he  did  not  follow 
your  views  of  the  mode  of  baptism,  he  would 
in  like  manner  say  :  4  Let  him  come  into  the 
fold,  and   forbid  him  not.' 

"That  is  your  view  of  it,  Iola — that  is  all." 
"Yes,  sir,  and  it  seems  to  have  -been  the 
Saviour's  view,  too." 

"  I  wish  to  give  you  a  case  which  I  per- 
sonally know  to  be  true,"  continued  Iola. 
"  I  know  a  prominent  Baptist  who  had  in 
his  employ  a  devoted  member  of  a  pedobap- 
tist  church.  The  employer  spoke  in  my 
presence  of  the  high  christian  character  of 
the  man.  He  died  a  short  while  ago.  His 
employer  was  much  grieved  on  account  of 
his  death,  and  said,  with  feeling:  '  He  was 
a  christian  man,  and  died  in  the  triumphs  of 
a  living  faith,  ready  to  meet  his  God  in 
peace."  Now.  while  all  this  was  true,  the 
Baptist  employer  would  not  meet  this  chris- 
tian at  the  Lord's  table  as  a  brother  in 
Christ.  The  man  was  buried,  and  a  Baptist 
man  was  put  into  his  place.  I  heard  the 
employer  say  that  his  new  foreman  was  pre- 
sumptuous in  a  high   degree,  puffed  up,  and 


152  IOLA  ;   OR, 

unreliable  ;  and  yet  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  good  and  regular  standing. 
With  these  facts  known  to  him,  the  Baptist 
employer  did  not  hesitate  to  meet  this  man 
at  the  Lord's  table  as  a  brother.  I  know 
this  is  not  a  supposed  case — it  came  under 
my  own  observation,  and  I  here  vouch  for 
the  truth  of  the  same.  The  pedobaptist, 
though  rich  in  christian  experience,  could 
not  be  recognized  as  a  christian  at  the  Lord's 
table,  but  this  unchristian-like  character,  be- 
cause he  had  been  immersed,  was  made  wel- 
come in  the  church.  This  makes  me  sav  : 
You  rejected  the  first,  not  because  he  was 
not  a  christian,  but  because  he  did  not  fol- 
low you  ;  and  you  accepted  the  second,  not 
because  of  his  godly  lite,  but  because  he  fol- 
lowed you  in  the  mode  of  baptism.  Is  it 
not  so  ?" 

"  He  ought  to  be  baptized  by  immersion 
nevertheless,  before  coming  into  the  church 
of  Christ,  as  a  member." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 53 


Chapter  XIX. 

f  WISH  you  to  answer  this  question  : 
Was  the  principle,  governing  the  case  I 
gave,  right  ?" 

11  I  am  not  the  judge,  Iola  ;  but  after  all, 
I  do  not  see  how  you  can  admit  people  to 
the  Lord's  table  before  they  are  baptized." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  had  said  nothing  about  that  ; 
but  if  you  cannot  answer  the  case  just  given, 
I  will  talk  on  baptism  and  the  communion." 

"  I  will  wait  till  another  time  to  answer 
you." 

"  That  is  the  easiest  way  out  of  the  di- 
lemma, Doctor;  for  the  Bible  will  certainly 
give  you  no  answer.  In  this  respect  you 
represent  the  Baptists — you  do  not  like  to 
have  these  questions  agitated,  and  I  dare 
say  it  is  best  {ox your  cause  to  leave  them  in 
silence." 

""Do  what!  WTho  is  afraid  to  meet  any 
question  pertaining  to  Baptists'  views?  Not 
I,     Not  my  people,  if  you  please," 

"  Very  well,  I  am  ready  to  talk  with  you, 


154  iola;  or, 

Doctor,  the  best  I  can,  on  the  communion 
question." 

"  I  understand  you  are  going  to  unite  with 
the  CHRISTIANS  because  they  practice  open 
communion." 

"  That  is  true,  sir." 

"  But,  my  dear  young  friend,  how  can  you 
so  violate  the  Bible  order  of  the  ordinances  ?" 

"  I  am  not  aware  of  doing  so,  Doctor." 

"  Aware  or  not,  you  do  it." 

"How?  What  is  the  gospel  order?" 

"  It  is  repentance,  faith,  baptism  and  then 
communion." 

"  Let  us,"  said  the  Doctor,"  read  Acts  2  : 
42:  *  And  they  continued  steadfastly  in  the 
apostle's  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in 
breaking  of  bread  and  prayers.'  That  is 
Bible  order." 

Why,  my  dear  sir,  there  is  no  close  com- 
munion there.  The  sacred  writer  says  not  a 
word  of  the  relation  of  the  two  ordinances, 
but  that  they  continued  in  the  apostle's  doc- 
trine. The  apostles,  not  one  of  them,  ever 
said  we  must  be  baptized  before  we  can  go 
to  the  Lord's  table,  but  one  did  say,  let  a 
man  examine  himself  and  so  eat  of  that 
bread  and  drink  of  that  cup.     Besides  if  you 


FACING   THE    TRUTH.  i  5  $ 

make  that  the  order  of  a  religious  life,  you 
will  have  to  be  steadfast  in  doctrine  and  fel- 
lowship, in  breaking  of  bread,  all  before  you 
could  pray.  Now  it  seems  to  me  prayer  be- 
longs in  the  very  beginning  of  a  christian 
life— even  people  in  seeking  Christ  before  they 
have  accepted  Him,  pray.    See  Luke  18:  13. 

"But  Jesus  taught  that  baptism  must 
precede  communion." 

"Where  is  that  Doctor?" 

"  I  do  not  remember  just  now,  but  look  it 
up — you  can  find  it." 

"Doctor,  you  must  do  your  own  looking; 
when  you  point  out  the  book,  chapter  and 
verse  to  me,  then  I  will  look.  Till  then, 
however,  I  shall  claim  there  is  no  authority 
for  that  view  in  the  Bible." 

"Why  do  you  so  much  object  to  close 
communion,  Iola?" 

"  Plainly  because  it  is  unscriptural  and 
unchristian-like,  besides  it  makes  your  church 
appear  as  unchristianizing  a  large  portion  of 
God's  people." 

"  But  Christ  did  not  say  do  this  in  remem- 
berance  of  each  other,  but  this  do  in  re- 
memberance  of  me."  Then  would  you 
change    this  solemn  memorial  of  the  suffer- 


156  IOLA;   OR, 

ings  and  death  of  Christ  into  a  mere  symbol 
of  fellowship  ?  No  my  young  friend,  your 
zeal  may  lead  you  too  far.  Whatever  else 
we  may  do  or  fail  to  do,  we  must  do  this 
in  remembrance  of  Christ." 

"  I  agree  to  all  that,  Doctor;  so  far  I  think 
you  are  right.  Now,  please  tell  me  why  it 
is  when  Baptists  do  this  in  remembrance  of 
Christ  that  they  are  unwilling  to  allow  other 
christians  to  join  them  in  celebrating  the 
Supper  in  remembrance  of  Christ  also  ? 
Please  answer  me." 

u  But  you  do  it  in  remembrance  of  each 
other." 

"Give  me  one  case  where  that  is  true?" 
u  Oh,  there  are  many  of  them  !" 
Well,  if  so  many,  just  give  me  the  name 
of  one? 

"  I  do  not  just  now  recall  one." 
"  I  think  you  do  not,  Doctor,  for  I  never 
heard  of  a  church  celebrating  the  Lord's 
Supper  in  remembrance  of  each  other,  ex- 
cept through  you.  The  truth  is  other 
churches  no  more  do  it  than  the  Baptists  do. 
That  is  the  way  you  seek  to  mislead.  You 
claim  that  others  pervert  it  in  use  and  pur- 
pose and  therefore  you  can  not  invite  them, 


Facing  the  truth.  t§7 

but  that  is  a  sad  mistake,  and  I  still  wish  to 
know  why  you  refuse  to  permit  other  chris- 
tians to  join  you  when  you  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  in  remembrance  of  Christ? 
Baptists  and  Methodists,  for  instance,  both 
do  it  in  remembrance  of  Christ,  they  are 
both  his  children.  Then  why  not  com- 
memorate his  sufferings  and  death  like 
brethren  together? 

"  Well,  I  assert  that  the  communion  is  a 
memorial  of  Christ,  a  communion  with  him, 
and  not  a  mark  of  fellowship  with  chris- 
tians. 

"  I  again  admit  that.  Please  excuse  me  and 
permit  a  personal  question.  Do  you  feel 
that  by  the  grace  of  God  you  are  a  chris- 
tian  r 

"I  do." 

"Exactly;  so  do  I.  Now  please  tell  me 
why  we  may  not  together  go  to  the  Lord's 
Supper  and  partake  of  the  emblems,  since 
we  both  do  it  as  his  children  in  remembrance 
of  Him?" 

"Well,  we  do  not  invite  all  christians  to 
commune  with  us,  because  that  is  a  perver- 
sion of  the  ordinance  and  a  violation  of  the 
command,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me." 


158  iola;  or, 

"  To  whom  was  that  command  given?" 

"  To  his  disciples,  of  course." 

"Certainly.  Then  if  I  am  a  disciple  of 
Jesus  what  right  have  you  to  keep  me  from 
going  to  his  table  to  commemorate  his  suf- 
ferings and  death?" 

"  We  ask  only  such  as  have  been  convert- 
ed and  baptized  to  come  to  the  supper." 

"  Such  only  as  have  been  converted  !  Ah  ! 
I  see  now,  you  propose  not  only  to  believe 
for  yourself,  but  for  others,  too.  That  was 
not  Paul's  idea.  He  said  :  '  Let  a  man  ex- 
amine himself.'  Paul  also  said  :  'But  why 
dost  thou  judge  thy  brother?  Or  why  dost 
thou  set  at  naught  thy  brother?  for  we  shall 
all  stand  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.' 
I  fully  believe  that  all  whose  christian  char- 
acter is  unquestioned  ought  to  be  permitted 
to  do  this  in  remembrance  of  Christ.  Show 
me  one  word  of  scripture  against  this, 
please." 

"  But  it  is  no  test   of  christian  character." 

"  I  know  that,  Doctor,  but  it  is  a  brother- 
ly and  Christ-like  recognition  of  christian 
character." 

"Admit  that  to  be  true  and  yet  we  must 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 59 

preserve  the  scriptural  order  of  the  ordi- 
nances." 

"  Scriptural  order  of  the  ordinances,  what 
do  you  mean  by  that?" 

"We  mean  baptism  first  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  second.  That  is  the  way  they  were 
given  to  us." 

"  I  have  heard  that  plea  all  my  life,  as  a 
Baptist,  but  since  I  have  studied  the  subject 
for  myself,  I  know  you  are  greatly  mistaken. 
That  is  not  the  scriptural  order  at  all." 

"What  is,  then?" 

"  Why  the  Lord's  Supper  was  instituted 
before  christian  baptism.  If  you  mean  to 
follow  the  Bible  order,  you  should  all  par- 
take of  the  Supper  before  baptism." 

11  Nonsense  !  Iola,  where  did  you  get  such 
an  idea?" 

"  From  excellent  authority,  the  Bible." 

"Impossible!  The  Bible  teaches  nothing 
of  the  sort." 

11  Yes  it  does,  and  you  will  not  deny  it,  I 
think,  after  seeing  it  for  yourself." 

11  Now,  Doctor,  will  you  tell  me  when  chris- 
tian baptism  —not  John's  baptism — was  in- 
stituted ?" 


l6o  IOLA  ;    OR, 

"  It  was  instituted  when  John  baptized 
Christ." 

"  No,  sir,  you  are  certainly  mistaken — that 
was  only  John's  baptism.  Paul  did  not  rec- 
ognize it  as  christian  baptism  ;  on  the  con- 
trary, in  Acts  19:  3 — 6,  he  disowns  it,  and 
the  disciples  turned  away  from  it,  and  were 
baptized  with  christian  baptism." 

11 1  believe  that  is  a  fact  ;  but  it  does  not 
show  what  you  have  claimed,  that  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  instituted  before  christian  bap- 
tism. 

"  When  was  christian  baptism  instituted, 
Doctor  ?" 

" According  to  Paul,  it  must  have  been 
when  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,  as  it  seems 
that  was  lacking  in  the  first  baptism  of  the 
disciples,  in  Acts  19:  3-6." 

"When  was  the  Holy  Ghost  given,  Doc- 
tor?" 

"  It  was  given  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  of 
course," 

"Yes,  I  agree  to  that.  Now,  please  tell 
me  when  was  the  Lord's  Supper  instituted  ?" 

"  Why,  on  the  night  of  the  betrayal  of  the 
Saviour." 

"  Exactly  so.     Christian  baptism   was   in- 


FACIXG    THE    TRUTH.  l6l 

stituted  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  instituted  on  the  night  of 
the  betrayal  of  Jesus,  or  just  fifty  days  be- 
fore christian  baptism.  So,  if  the  Baptists 
would  follow  the  Bible  order  of  the  ordi- 
nances, they  would  simply  reverse  their 
present  practice  and  celebrate  the  Lord's 
Supper  first,  and  then  baptism — that  would 
be  the  Bible  order." 

"  As  a  Baptist  I  cannot  endorse  that." 

"Then  you  cannot  endorse  the  plain  facts 
of  the  Bible,  sir,  for  you  must  admit  that  I 
have  established  by  the  Bible  what  I  have 
claimed." 

"Well,  Baptists  do  not  so  understand  it, 
they  believe  baptism  is  first  and  must  pre- 
cede communion." 

"  But,  I  tell  you  Doctor,  the  Baptists  did 
not  so  believe  years  ago,  and  the  English 
Baptists  do  not  to-da\ ." 

"Where  did  you  get  that?  I  am  sure  you 
are  mistaken." 

"I  think  not,  sir.  Art.  71,  in  the  Baptist 
Confession  or  Statement  of  Principles,  as 
adopted  in  England  in    the  year  161 1,  says: 

'All  repenting  and  believing  christians 
are  brethren  in  the  communion  of  the  out- 
6 


1 62  IOLA;   OR, 

ward  visible  church,  wherever  they  may  live, 
or  by  what  name  they  may  be  named,  be 
they  Roman  Catholic,  Lutherans,  Zwing- 
lians,  Calvinists,  Brownists,  Anabaptists,  or 
any  pious  christians,  who,  in  truth,  and  by 
godly  zeal,  strive  for  repentance  and  faith, 
although  they  are  implicated  in  great  igno- 
rance and  weakness.' 

11  Again,  in  Art.  80,  they  say: 

I  That  none   ought   to    be  kept   from   the 
outward  communion  of  the  church,  but  those 
who  remain  impenitent  and  deny  the  power 
of  godliness.' 

II  In  another  Confession  of  about  the  same 
period,  I  find  this  plain  declaration  : 

'  The  Lord's  Supper  is  the  outward  mani- 
festation of  the  spiritual  communion  between 
Christ  and  the  faithful,  mutually  to  declare 
his  death  till  he  come.' 

"  Now,  Doctor,  I  find  nothing  here  of 
baptism  preceding  the  supper.  I  will  go 
further  yet.  LTpon  examination  of  the  early 
history  of  American  Baptists,  I  find  that 
their  Confession  of  the  year  1677  forms  a 
basis  for  the  Confessions  of  the  Philadelphia, 
Charleston  and  other  early  Baptist  Associa- 
tions.    I  am  further   informed  that  so  good 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


163 


Baptist  authority  as  Prof.  Whitsitt,  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  of 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  admits  that  this  Con- 
fession in  its  thirtieth  article  provided  for 
this  '  Loose  Communion'  at  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per. Prof.  W.  claims  that  the  author  of 
this  article  was  a  friend  and  confidant  of 
Bunvan,  by  whom  it  was  probably  inspired. 
Bunyan  was  an  open  communion  Baptist, 
so  was  the  distinguished  Robert  Hall,  and 
so  Spurgeon  is  now,  with  many  others. 
Further,  Benedict's  History  shows,  on  page 
497,  that  Hansard  Knolleys  founded  the 
first  Baptist  church  in  America  in  1838  or '9, 
and  that  was  an  open  communion  church  in 
practice." 


Chapter  XX. 


'^yfOLA,  I  suppose  the  points  you  make 
(JL|  from  facts  in  our  history  as  Baptists,  are 
true,  but  times  have  changed." 

"True,  Doctor;  but  I  am  persuaded  that 
the  Bible  and  its  precious  truths  have  not 
changed  an  iota,  and  I  do  not  see  how  you 


164  IOLA  ;   OR, 

can  try  to  wring  from  its  sacred  truths  this 
selfishness  at  the  Lord's  table.  I  cannot 
believe  that  the  Bible  anywhere  authorizes 
it.  When  Jesus  instituted  the  supper,  he 
directed  that  all  of  his  disciples  present 
should  partake  of  it  together.  Afterward 
Paul  expressly  stated  that  every  christian 
should  examine  himself.  If  upon  this  self- 
examination  he  could  sincerely  and  truly 
partake  of  the  supper,  discerning  the  Lord's 
body,  then  he  was  to  do  so,  and  no  man 
dared  question  his  right.  Now,  if  baptism 
had  been  a  pre-requisite  to  the  supper,  surely 
Paul  would  have  so  stated  it  when  he  was 
giving  the  conditions  upon  which  christians 
were  to  partake  of  it." 

"Iola,  lam  surprised  at  the  course  you 
are  pursuing,  fighting  your  own  church  and 
giving  your  influence  to  one  so  full  of  error 
as  these  Christians  are." 

"  In  what  does  their  error  consist  ?" 

"  Oh,  in  many  things!" 

"  Name  one,  please." 

"Well,  a  leading  feature  in  that  church,  if 
I  must  call  it  a  church,  is  this  principle  of 
the  right  of  private  judgment  and  liberty  of 
conscience.     As  held  by  them,  it   is  one  of 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  165 

the  greatest  curses  of  this  day — it  is  doing 
no  little  harm." 

"  Please  show   me  wherein,  Doctor." 

11  In  this  way.  By  allowing  this  principle 
to  prevail,  they  license  their  members  to 
commit  any  immoral  act,  and  then  plead  this 
rule  as  a  justification  of  the  sin." 

"  Be  kind  enough  to  give  your  authority, 
Doctor." 

"  Why,  I  have  heard  people  say  so  again 
and  again." 

"  I  tell  you,  it  is  not  true  ;  they  do 
no  such  thing,  nor  do  they  allow  any 
such  abuse  of  the  right  of  private  judgment 
and  liberty  of  conscience.  If  you  will  read 
the  statement  and  study  the  principle  in- 
volved in  it,  which  immediately  precedes 
the  one  on  the  right  of  private  judgment, 
you  will  readily  see  how  absurd  the  rumor 
is,  for  when  they  require  christian  character 
as  a  test  of  membership,  they  could  not  con- 
sistently allow  the  principle  of  the  right  of 
private  judgment  to  be  so  abused  as  your 
rumor  would  indicate.  They  do  make  that 
principle  a  prominent  feature  in  their  State- 
ment of  Principles,  but  it  applies  wholly  to 
matters  of  opinion  on  certain  doctrines,  and 


166  IOLA;  OR, 

in  no  sense  to  morals.  So,  I  beg  you,  disa- 
buse your  mind  and  the  minds  of  your  peo- 
ple,of  any  such  thought.  The  Christians, 
I  am  proud  to  know,  are  above  any  such 
evils  in  their  principles  or  church  polity.'' 

"  But  how  do  you  know  that,  Iola  ?" 

"  In  this  way  :  My  father  presented  this 
matter  to  me  just  as  you  have  done,  and 
I  addressed  a  note  of  inquiry  to  my  moth- 
er's old  pastor  in  Virginia,  the  Rev.  T. 
M.  Rickson,  a  prominent  minister  among 
them,  asking  for  the  facts.  I  did  not  in  the 
remotest  way  intimate  to  him  a  purpose  or 
desire  to  unite  with  his  people.  His  letter 
was  clear  and  to  the  point.  It  satisfied  my 
mind  that  there  was  no  truth  in  the  absurd 
charge  which  you  say  rumor  brings  against 
them.  Here  is  the  letter,  you  can  read  it 
for  yourself." 

After  reading  it  he  said, 

11  Well,  Iola,  I  have  always  thought  it  fair 
and  just  to  let  every  denomination  define  its 
own  views.  The  statement  of  Mr.  Rickson 
is  higher  authority  than  mere  rumors.  I 
accept  the  correction," 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  satisfied,   Doctor, 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  167 

that  I  am  not  casting  my  lot  with  a  shoddy 
church." 

"  I  have  had  a  long  interview  with  you, 
iola,  at  the  request  of  your  father,  but  I 
have  accomplished  nothing.  I  am  sorry  to 
give  you  up,  but  I  am  glad  to  see  that  you 
have  not  taken  so  important  a  step  without 
careful  stud}-.  You  are  not  moving  blindly. 
You  have  posted  yourself  well — that  is 
proper,  a  duty  you  owe  the  organization, 
and  yet  I  hope  you  may  reconsider  and  re- 
trace your  steps — -come  back  to  Broad  Creek 
church." 

11  That  hope  is  in  vain',  Doctor.  My  mind 
is  fully  made  up  to  go  to  the  CHRISTIANS. 
I  cannot  retrace  my  steps.  The  Bible  would 
condemn  every  such  step  I  might  make  and 
I  should  feel  as  if  I  heard  the  groans  of  my 
agonized  mother  in  her  last  days  on  earth, 
while  her  sad  and  depressed  countenance 
would  haunt  my  very  being — and  it  was  all 
due  to  the  exclusiveness  of  the  Baptists  of 
whom  I  was  then  one,  but  no  more  am  I  one 
of  them.  Indeed,  when  your  church  ex- 
pelled me  for  no  reason  except  my  devotion 
to  open  communion  views,  it  forever  set  my 
face  in  another  direction.     I   wish  your  peo- 


l6S  IOLA;   OR, 

pie  no  harm.  May  God  bless  them  in  all 
their  work,  which  is  according  to  his  will. 
May  he,  too,  help  me  to  live 'the  life  of  an 
humble  servant  and  at  last  join  my  angel 
mother  on  the  brighter  shore." 

4<  May  God  grant  it,  is  my  wish,  Iola." 

"  Thank  you,  Doctor.  I  hope,  too,  to  meet 
many  of  the  Baptists  there,  but  I  am  quite 
sure  I  shall  not  see  them  there  as  exclusive 
Baptists.  Such  as  get  there  will  be  simply 
CHRISTIANS,  men  and  women  redeemed  by 
the  blood  of  Christ." 

"I  fear  you  will  become  unbalanced  on 
the  name  Christian,  Iola.  Why  may  we  not 
be  Baptists  in  Heaven?" 

"You  know  Mr.  Wesley  dreamed  of  going 
to  Heaven's  portals,  where  he  asked  : 
'  Are  there  any  Methodists  here?'  '  None,' 
was  the  prompt  answer.  Any  Episcopa- 
lians? No.  Any  Baptists?  No.  'Then,' 
asked  the  great  preacher  in  his  astonish- 
ment, '  Whom  have  you  there?'  And  the 
answer  came  clear  and  quickly,  'CHRISTIANS.' 
That  is  just  what  I  hope  to  realize  when  I 
get  to  Heaven — no  Methodists,  no  Presby- 
terians, no  Episcopalians,  no  Baptists,  as 
such,  but  I  hope  and  expect  to  find  many  of 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 69 

these  dear  people  in  Heaven,  and  there  they 
will  be  simply  CHRISTIANS.  May  God 
grant  it.     I  love  them  all." 

To  this  Dr.  Jenkins  made  no  reply,  but 
excused  himself  and  retired  to  have  an  in- 
terview with  Mr.  Graham,  in  which  he 
expressed  no  hope  of  bringing  the  young 
girl  back  to  the  Baptists.  He  said  all  his 
efforts  had  accomplished  nothing — that  she 
could  not  be  changed. 

Here  Mr.  Graham  became  enraged  at  his 
daughter's  course  and  said  :  "  If  she  must  go 
to  them,  then  she  may  stay  with  them  and 
they  may  support  her — for  I  cannot  while 
she  goes  with  that  church." 

Returning  home  that  evening,  Dr.  Jenkins 
found  his  family  seated  around  the  fireside, 
and  to  them  he  gave  a  most  interesting  ac- 
count of  his  interview  with  Iola  Graham. 
He  represented  her  as  led  under  the  grief  of 
her  mother's  death  to  abandon  close  com- 
munion, and  for  that  reason  she  had  been 
expelled  from  the  Baptists.  At  length 
Johnnie,  the  twelve  year  old  boy  of  the 
Doctor,  said : 

"  Papa,  why  did  they  expel  her?" 


170  IOLA  ;   OR, 

"  Because  she  believes  in  open  commun- 
ion. 

"Well,  papa,  can't  she  believe  in  that  and 
be  a  christian  ?" 

"  I  suppose  she  might,  my  son,  but  not 
according  to  the  Baptists'  idea." 

11  But  I  understood  you  to  say  she  is  a 
christian  ?" 

"  Well,  Johnnie,  I  suppose  she  is." 

"  Can't  all  christians  belong  to  the  Bap- 
tists?" 

"  Not  unless  they  believe  in  close  com- 
munion, my  boy." 

"Close  communion,  what  is  that,  papa?" 
"It  is  excluding  from  the  Lord's  table  every 
person  who  does  not  believe  just  as  we  do 
about  baptism.  Really,  my  son,  it  is  not  so 
much  close  communion,  after  all,  as  it  is 
close  baptism ." 

"  But,  papa,  what  do  you  mean  by  close 
baptism?" 

"  I  mean  that  only  those  who  have  been 
immersed  by  an  ordained  Baptist  preacher, 
can  come  to  the  Lord's  table." 

"  Papa,  does  the  Bible  teach  that  doc- 
trine  r 

"Oh,  yes!" 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  171 

"  Where,  please  show  it  to  me  ?" 

"Well,  some  time,  maybe." 

"  Then  all  who  have  been  so  baptized  can 
commune,  can  they  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Then  papa  can't  Miss  Iola  commune 
with  us,  for  she  was  close  baptized?" 

"  No,  no,  my  child." 

"  I  thought  you  said  close  baptized  per- 
sons could." 

"Yes,  I  did,  but — but — a-h-e-m —  she 
can  t. 

"Then,  papa,  can  none  go  to  Heaven  but 
those  believing  in  close  baptism  and  close 
communion  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  All  who  believe  in  sincerity 
and  in  truth  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as 
their  Saviour,  will  go  to  Heaven  when  they 
le. 

"  Well,  papa,  if  Miss  Iola  is  good  enough 
and  strong  enough  in  faith  to  go  to  Heaven 
when  she  dies,  isn't  she  good  enough  to  par- 
take of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  a  Baptist 
church  ?" 

"Are  you  not  sleepy,  Johnnie?" 

"  No  sir." 

"  It    is    time    to    retire — good  night,    my 


172  IOLA;    OR, 

boy,"  and  the  dear  little  fellow  was  hurried 
off  without  an  explanation,  leaving  him  to 
solve  the  problem  in  his  dreams,  but  he 
could  not,  and  to  this  day  he  does  not  under 
stand  this  puzzling  question. 

The  next  -day  being  the  Sabbath,  Iola  de- 
termined to  seek  membership  in  the  Chris- 
tian church  at  Percy's  Chapel,  and  approach- 
ing her  father,  she  said  : 

"Will  you  please  send  me  to  Percy's 
Chapel  to-morrow?" 

"  Send  you  where,  Iola?" 

"  To  Percy's  Chapel." 

"What  do  you  wish  to  go  there  for?" 

"  Father,  since  I  was  expelled  from  your 
church,  I  have  been  looking  for  a  church 
with  which  I  may  unite.  I  have  decided  on 
the  CHRISTIAN  church,  after  a  careful  and 
prayerful  examination  of  the  whole  matter. 
Percy's  Chapel  is  the  nearest  Christian 
church  to  me,  and,  though  a  stranger  there, 
I  have  decided  to  unite  with  that  church  to- 
morrow, if  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  send 
me." 

"  I  am  surprised — more,  I  am  mortified, 
to  think  that  you  will  leave  both  your  church 
and  your  father  to  go  to  such  a  people." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 73 

"  Father,"  kindly  replied  the  young  girl, 
11  I  did  not  leave  your  church — I  was  un- 
righteously expelled  from  its  membership 
for  my  open  communion  views.  I  was  made 
to  go — now  I  wish  to  go — I  have  a  con- 
science, and  I  must  follow  its  dictates." 

"  If  nothing  else  will  do,  you  can  go,  and 
you  may  stay." 

At  these  unexpected  harsh  words,  Iola 
burst  into  tears,  but  tears  availed  nothing. 
The  next  morning  the  driver  announced  the 
carriage  ready,  and  so  was  Iola.  She  was 
neatly  dressed,  as  becomes  a  cultivated  chris- 
tian lady.  Going  to  her  father,  who  was  in 
his  accustomed  seat,  she  placed  her  arms 
gently  about  his  neck  and  tenderly  kissed 
him,  saying,  as  she  did  so  : 

11  My  dear  father,  I  beg  you  be  patient 
with  me,  and  do  not  cease  to  love  me.  You 
know  mother  is  gone,  and  you  are  my  next 
strong  friend.  If  my  course  is  hard  for  you 
to  bear,  I  beg  you  remember  the  trials 
through  which  I  have  come.  Remember  my 
dying  mother,  what  suffering,  and  heart- 
anguish,  I  endured  because  of  the  terrible 
misfortune  you  and  I  brought  upon  her,  in 
her  last  sickness.     I  know  we  did   not  mean 


174  IOLA;    OR, 

to  do  so,  and  yet  we  did  it.  Think  of  my 
course  as  kindly  as  you  can.  I  expect  to  be 
home  this  afternoon,  late,"  and  she  kissed 
him  good-bye. 

Mr.  Graham  sat  through  this  tender  atten- 
tion from  his  daughter  without  emotion,  and 
when  she  entered  the  carriage  and  drove 
away,  he  roughly  said  to  a  by-stander,  "  I 
hope  she  will  get  enough  of  her  new  friends, 
and  that  very  soon."  But  Iola,  poor  child, 
knew  nothing  of  the  unkind  remark,  and 
went  away  feeling  that  little  of  happiness 
was  at  her  home,  but  she  grew  brave  to  bear 
this,  under  the  thought  that  she  would  secure 
peace  of  mind  and  an  easy  conscience  in  the 
step  she  was  taking,  though  over  a  rough 
and  thorny  road  she  must  walk  alone  to  ob- 
tain so  rich  a  possession.  She  had  endured 
much  with  none  to  encourage  her,  save  the 
gentle  whisperings  of  her  angel  mother,  who 
had  suffered  untold  agonies  of  heart  and 
mind  in  the  same  cause. 

Between  her  home  and  the  church  she  had 
ample  time  for  reflection.  She  loved  her 
father  devotedly,  and  never  once  attributed 
his  severity  toward  her  and  her  mother  to 
any  lack  of  love,  but  rather  to  the  influence 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 75 

of  heartless  church  rules,  and,  she  might  have 
added  in  charity,  Christless  rules,  for  Jesus 
never  made  such  regulations  as  governed  her 
father's  conduct  toward  her  mother  and  her- 
self. 

Once  her  home  was  a  happy  one.  Now 
under  the  influence  of  Baptist  exclusiveness, 
it  is  torn  in  fragments.  It  has  sent  her 
mother  to  an  early  grave,  it  has  expelled 
Iola  from  her  own  church,  and  now  it  seeks 
to  break  the  love  of  a  father  from  his  only 
daughter.  Her  mind  was  crowded  with 
thoughts  of  her  mother  in  Heaven,  of  her 
father  with  the  Baptists,  and  of  herself  seek- 
ing a  church-home  among  strangers,  and,  as 
if  lost  to  all  else,  she  began  to  sing  in  a  low 
sweet  voice  that  dear  old  hymn  : 

"Shall  we  meet  beyond  the  river 
Where  the  surges  ne'er  shall  roll  ? 

Wherein  all  the  bright  forever, 

Sorrow  ne'er  shall  press  the  soul  ?" 

As  the  sound  of  the  last  words  died  away 

she  seemed  to  hear,  as  if  an  echo  to  her  own 

voice,  (perhaps  the  spirit  of  her  mother  was 
hovering  near  her,)  a  sweet  strain, 

"  Yes,  we'll  meet  beyond  the  river 

When  life's  burden  we  lay  down  ; 
We  shall  change  our  cross  of  anguish 

For  a  bright,  unfading  crown." 


176  IOLA;   OR, 

Chapter   XXI. 

(EACHING  the  church  she  sent  a  note 
to  the  pastor,  the  Rev.  P.  T.  Knapper, 
saying  she  wished  to  unite  with  the  church. 
It  was  quarterly  meeting  and  communion 
day.  Before  the  sermon  he  announced 
that  by  request  he  would  open  the  doors  of 
the  church  for  the  reception  of  members.  He 
gave  out  hymn  468, 

"O  happy  day  that   fixed  my  choice." 

not  knowing  the  circumstances  that  called 
forth  this  part  of  the  services.  While  the 
congregation  was  singing  a  young  lady, 
walked  slowly  up  the  aisle  and  took  a  stand 
near  the  altar.  The  pastor  made  the  follow- 
ing public  examination  : 

"  My  young  sister,  have  you  sincerely  and 
heartily  repented  of  all  your  sins?" 

"  I  believe  I  have." 

"  Do  you  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ?" 

"  I  do." 

"  Is  it  your  purpose  through  grace  to  live  a 
godly  life?" 

"  It  is." 


FACING   THE    TRUTH.  1 77 

Then  said  the  pastor:  "  Brethren  and  sis- 
ters, you  have  heard  the  examination  of  Iola 
Graham,  who  seeks  admission  as  a  member 
into  this  church.  Is  there  any  objection  to 
receiving  her  ?" 

All  was  silence,  and  he  gave  her  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship  and  a  hearty  welcome, 
and,  handing  her  the  Bible,  said  : 

11  In  behalf  of  the  church,  my  young  sister, 
I  welcome  you  to  our  fold.  Study  the  Bible 
carefully  and  prayerfully.  Let  it  be  the  rule 
and  guide  to  your  faith  and  practice,  and 
may  God  richly  bless  your  association  with 
us.  May  you  be  happy  and  useful  in  the 
church." 

Then  the  preacher  gave  out  as  his  text 
these  words : 

"  That  they  all  may  be  one ;  as  thou, 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  Thee,  that  they 
also  may  be  one  in  us  ;  that  the  world  may 
believe  that  thou  has  sent  me." — John  17  :  21. 

He  urged  upon  his  hearers  the  fact  that 
all  christians  are  one  in  spirit,  just  as  Jesus 
and  the  Father  are  one.  He  showed  how  a 
misinterpretation  of  this  truth  had  in  every 
age  racked  the  church  with  strife  and  divis- 
ion,  none  of   which    had   been    helpful    in 


178  iola;   or, 

making  the  world  better.  He  gave  special 
emphasis  to  the  reason  win*  God's  people 
should  be  one  in  spirit,  living  in  peace  and 
harmony  as  brethren.  Said  he,  "  Jesus  made 
it  so  plain  that  men  blinded  by  sectarian 
prejudice  even,  can  understand  its  import- 
ance, as  presented  in  the  last  clause  of  the 
text,  viz  :  '  That  the  world  may  believe  that 
thou  has  sent  me.'  He  fully  elaborated  the 
thought  that  sectarians,  in  fighting  one  an- 
othersobitterly  overmatters  of  mereopinion, 
kept  many  from  accepting  the  Saviour,  thus 
retarding  in  a  shameful  manner  the  spread 
of  the  gospel.  By  way  of  contrast  he  showed 
how  the  united  hearts  and  minds  and  labors 
of  God's  people  had  been  singularly  blessed 
in  leading  men  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

This  was  a  feast  to  Iola.  She  knew  only 
too  well  how  fighting  between  professing 
christians  had  led  to  results  so  serious,  in 
carrying  misery  and  suffering,  and,  as  she  be- 
lieved, death  into  her  home,  robbing  her  of 
a  fond  mother. 

It  was  noticed  by  some  in  the  congrega- 
tion that  the  stranger  who  had  joined  them 
was  deeply  interested,  and  occasionally  a  tear 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 79 

trickled  down  her  fair  cheeks.  It  betokened 
the  emotions  which  were  known  only  to 
herself.  She  understood,  as  few  others  could, 
the  meaning  of  the  pastor's  words,  portray- 
ing the  evils  of  sectarianism.  Indeed,  it  is 
a  shame,  a  burning  shame,  that  men  profess- 
ing to  love  God,  should  ever  say  such  hard 
things  one  of  another,  simply  because  they 
differ  in  opinions. 

Then  came  the  communion.  The  pastor, 
after  suitable  remarks  on  the  character  and 
purpose  of  the  supper,  said  :  "  We  invite  all 
christians  of  whatever  name  to  join  us  in 
commemorating  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
the  Saviour  in  this  supper.  I  would  have 
each  one  personally  examine  himself  or  her- 
self, as  Paul  says  :  '  Let  a  man  examine  him- 
self, and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread  and 
drink  of  that  cup."  The  service  proceeded. 
In  passing  the  emblems,  one  of  the  deacons 
came  to  an  aged  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  Bro.  Thomas  Black.  He  was  known 
in  the  community  as  a  warm-hearted  chris- 
tian, of  unquestioned  piety.  His  head  was 
white  with  the  late  frosts  of  the  autumn  of 
life.  He  was  feeble  and  lame  and  blind,  a 
pilgrim   standing    on  the  verge  of    eternity. 


180  IOLA;   OR, 

The  deacon  felt  he  could  not,  and  would 
not,  pass  him  without  an  opportunity,  per- 
haps the  last  on  earth,  to  join  in  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper.  One  of  the  dea- 
cons asked  him  if  he  wished  to  partake.  The 
old  veteran  of  the  cross  said  :  "  I  do  wish  to 
unite  with  you  in  this  blessed  communion 
service,  but  the  rules  of  my  church  will  not 
allow  me."  The  white  haired  father  hid  his 
face,  as  if  in  grief  over  the  usage  of  his  own 
church.     The  services  closed. 

While  the  congregation  was  dispersing  the 
pastor  was  offering  a  kind  word  to  his  new 
member.  Accompanying  her  from  the  house 
to  the  stile,  to  their  dismay  they  found  the 
carriage  had  gone.  Both  were  shocked.  At 
that  moment  she  saw  for  the  first  time  the 
meaning  of  her  father's  words  when  he  told 
her  to  "go  and  stay."  Till  now  she  had  re- 
garded that  remark  as  simply  expressing  his 
disapproval  of  her  course,  but  he  meant 
just  what  he  said,  and  as  she  realized  this 
she  was  heard  to  exclaim,  as  if  alone  : 

"  Oh,  this  persecution  !  May  it  make  my 
life  as  a  lamp  that  burneth  to  all  who  sit  in 
the  darkness  of  intolerance." 

Left  among    strangers,  the  pastor  seeing 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  l8l 

her  trouble,  vacated  his  own  seat  and  asked 
her  to  ride  with  his  wife  to  Deacon  Day's,  to 
dine.  Knowing  her  helplessness,  she  ac- 
cepted the  kindness.  No  little  curiosity  was 
aroused.  The  pastor  felt  most  anxious  to 
know  the  history  of  his  new  member.  She 
was  beautiful,  modest,  intelligent  and  well 
dressed,  but  why  she  should  be  left  at  church 
in  this  manner  was  a  mystery. 

After  dinner  Iola  passed  a  note  to  the 
pastor,  requesting  an  interview  with  him  and 
Deacon  Day.  Arrangements  were  immedi- 
ately made,  and  in  a  short  time  she  was  in- 
vited to  a  private  room,  where  she  met  both 
the  pastor  and  the  deacon. 

"  I  have  sought  this  interview  with  you," 
she  said,  "  because  I  know  the  circumstances 
attending  my  coming  into  your  church,  and 
being  left  there  as  I  was,  must  seem  strange 
to  you.   I  am  anxious  to  give  you  the  facts." 

She  briefly  told  the  story  of  her  history. 

"  My  open  communion  sentiments,"  she 
continued,  "  and  a  liberal  evangelical  faith, 
have  thus  rendered  me  a  homeless  girl,  and 
it  may  seem  to  you  that  my  father's  action 
throws  me  upon  your  generosity  for  sup- 
port" ;  and  here  she  burst  into  tears,  for  her 


1 82  IOLA;    OR, 

father's  treatment  was  more  than  she  could 
bear. 

At  length,  she  said  : 

"  I  do  not  wish  you  to  feel  that  I  have 
come  to  thrust  myself  upon  your  charity.  I 
am  willing  to  accept  the  burdens  thus  thrown 
upon  me,  for  I  am  led  by  faith,  I  hope  ;  and, 
as  I  believe,  I  stand  on  principle." 

11  The  sad  story  of  your  life  has  reached 
our  sympathy.  We  are  ready  to  do  any- 
thing we  can  to  be  of  service  to  you." 

"  Many  thanks  for  your  brotherly  sympa- 
thy and  kindness.  I  am  very  anxious  to 
work  my  own  way,  and  all  I  could  ask,  or 
accept,  is  assistance  to  get  employment." 

"  What  do  you  wish?"  asked  the  pastor 
and  deacon,  simultaneously. 

"  Oh,"  she  said,  "  I  am  willing  to  do  any 
honorable  work  for  which  my  strength  is 
sufficient.  I  prefer  teaching,  but  I  cannot, 
I  must  not  be  a  burden  to  you." 

"  I  have  a  friend  in  C ,  now  in  need  of 

a   teacher.     I   will  endeavor    to    secure  the 
position  for  you,"  said  the  Deacon. 

"  Thank  you,  sir,  I  wish  you  may  succeed. 
I  have  no  time  to  lose.   Meantime,  Mr.  Day, 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 83 

will  you  kindly  send  to  my  father's  to-morrow 
for  my  trunk? 

"  Certainly  I  will — make  yourself  content. 
My  house  is  yours  as  long   as  you  need    it." 

11  That  is  so  kind,  sir,  when  I  am  only  a 
stranger." 

A  few  days  passed,  and  Iola,  though  much 
of  life  was  darkened  to  her,  made  herself  a 
very  pleasant  companion  to  Deacon  Day's 
daughters,  so  that  new  ties  of  friendship 
were  formed,  and  they  began  to  feel  that 
she  was  one  of  them. 

When  her  trunk  came,  with  it  came  the 
following  note  : 

My  Dear  Child  : 

In  answer  to  your  request  I  send  your 
trunk.  I  am  a  miserable  man.  My  wife  is 
dead,  my  only  child  is  a  wanderer,  and  I  am  at 
home,  feeble  and  alone.  You  will  regret 
your  course,  and  that  bitterly,  before  you 
are  many  years  older.  Perhaps  the  greatest 
trial  of  my  life  was  to  see  the  carriage  come 
home  last  Sunday  without  you.  It  was 
hard,  indeed.  But  I  can  not  support  and 
protect  you  while  you  give  your  influence 
and  yourself  to  the  building  up  of  the  Chris- 


184  IOLA;   OR, 

tians,  as  you  call  them..  Sever  your  connec- 
tion with  them  and  come  back  to  your  old 
faith,  and  all  that  I  have  shall  be  yours. 
My  home  shall  be  all  you  can  ask,  and  your 
happiness  shall  be  my  pleasure.  If  you  can 
not  do  this,  then  good-by. 

From  your  father, 

George  Graham. 

11  I  can't  !  Oh,  I  can't  !"  she  exclaimed  and 
she  wept  as  if  her  heart  would  break,  and 
falling  upon  her  knees  in  prayer  she  sought 
help  from  above.  Especially  did  she  plead 
for  her  father — that  his  eyes  might  be  opened, 
his  heart  made  tender  and  his  love  for  her 
restored,  meanwhile  she  was  firm  to  her  con- 
victions and  determined  to  take  hardships 
with  an  easy  conscience,  rather  than  personal 
ease  with  a  troubled  conscience. 

She  had  been  in  the  family  two  weeks 
when  the  Deacon  announced  to  her  the  fact 

that  he  had  secured  the  school  in  C for 

her.  This  gave  her  very  much  pleasure,  be- 
cause she  did  not  wish  to  burden  the  kind- 
ness of  her  new  friends. 

"  We  do  not  like  to  have  you  leave  us,  but 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


I85 


GEORGE    GRAHAM. 


1 86  IOLA;   OR, 

the  gentleman  wishes  the  school  to  open  the 
first  Monday  in  November,  about  one  week 
from  now.  In  order  to  do  so,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  go  by  next  Thursday's  steamer  ; 

the  "  Mistress  of  the  Sea"  sails  from  W 

to    C that   day.     You    can   then    reach 

your  new  home  Friday  or  Saturday. 

"Very  well,  sir.  That  will  suit  me.  I 
will  be  ready  Thursday." 

Though  Iola  Graham  had  been  in  the 
house  only  two  weeks,  there  was  as  much 
ado  over  her  leaving  as  if  one  of  the  family 
had  been  preparing  for  a  year's  absence. 
She  had  been  so  agreeable,  so  kind  and 
thoughtful,  that  every  member  of  the  family 
seemed  anxious  to  have  her  company. 
Thursday  the  parting  was  affectionate.  It 
was  like  father  and  mother  and  brothers  and 
sisters,  parting  with  the  eldest  daughter  and 
sister  of   the  household. 

At  6  o'clock  p.  m.,  Thursday,  she  sailed  on 
the    "  Mistress  of  the    Sea,"  expecting    to 

reach  C Friday  afternoon.     The  weather 

was  good  and  the  trip  gave  promise  to  be 
pleasant.  At  mid-night  there  was  a  fall  of 
the  mercury.  A  brisk  wind  sprang  up  and 
the   sea   became  ro'ugh,  but   no  danger   was 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 87 

apprehended,  meanwhile  the  noble  steamer 
was  plowing  the  face  of  the  great  deep, 
dashing  into  a  beautiful  spray  the  heaving 
billows,  as  if  it  were  only  child's  play.  Occa- 
sionally the  billows  seemed  to  come  with 
renewed  power  against  the  vessel  and  a  slight 
tossing  of  the  great  steamship  was  per- 
ceptible. The  time  made  was  unusually 
quick.  What  cared  the  passengers  for  the 
rough  wind?  They  had  long  since  retired 
and  were  sweetly  sleeping.  Why  should 
fear  of  danger  trouble  them? — their  passage 
was  on  the  "Mistress  of  the  Sea,"  a  steam- 
ship whose  pride  was  that  she  had  never 
met  a  storm  through  which  she  could  not 
ride  with  safety.  Her  speed  was  unusually 
rapid.  Nothing  was  impeding  her  progress. 
The  rough  rolling  sea  seemed  an  unwilling 
aid  in  its  onward  march.  The  wind  beat 
heavily  against  her;  the  splash  of  the  wheels 
was  as  regular  as  clock  work,  and  the  rattle 
of  the  heaving  engine  spoke  of  the  safety  of 
the  passengers.  It  is  3  o'clock  and  suddenly 
a  sharp  call  and  a  heavy  stroke  at  the  doors 
of  the  sleeping  passengers  awoke  them.  The 
warning  voice  carried  with  it  terror — the  cry 
was,  "  fire  /"     The  people  were  immediately 


1 88  IOLA  ;   OR, 

panic  stricken.  They  ran  here,  there,  every- 
where,— all  in  confusion.  Already  volumes 
of  smoke  were  issuing  from  the  engine  room  ; 
it  was  a  terrible  fact,  the  ship  was  on  fire 
and  with  little  prospect  of  extinguishing  it. 
Meantime  every  one  was  adjusting  the  life- 
preserver.  In  the  excitement  Iola  had  been 
forgotten.  It  was  supposed,  of  course,  she 
was  up  and  out  of  her  room.  The  purser 
made  another  round  and  found  all  doors 
open,  and  the  people  out,  except  the  one  to 
Iola's  room, — he  quickly  broke  it  open  ex- 
pecting to  find  the  young  girl  either  still 
asleep  or  dead  from  fright.  As  the  door 
gave  way  to  his  powerful  stroke,  lo !  what  a 
surprise !  Was  she  dead  ?  No.  Was  she 
asleep?  No.  She  was  awake,  alive,  dressed, 
already  rigged  in  her  life-preserver  and  upon 
her  knees  in  solemn  prayer,  as  calm  as  at 
other  times.  Her  face  was  uplifted  to  God 
— she  was  committing  herself  to  His  care 
and  protection. 

Horrors,  alas,  the  fearful  fire  is  raging! 
Now  it  is  said  there  is  no  hope  of  reaching 
land  before  the  ship  will  be  consumed.  Men, 
women  and  children,  are  wild  with  the 
thought  of  facing  so  dreadful  a  fate,     Some 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 89 

are  screaming,  some  wringing  their  hands  in 
despair,  some  have  fallen  to  the  floor  in  a 
swoon.  Iola  preserved  a  calm  mind.  When 
asked  if  she  were  not  frightened,  she  replied  : 
"  I  do  not  feel  comfortable,  but  I  have  com- 
mitted my  fate  to  my  God.  I  am  happy  to 
rest  on  my  confidence  in  him." 

Just  then  there  was  a  fearful  explosion  on 
the  lower  deck  and  vast  volumes  of  flames 
seemed  to  envelop  the  body  of  the  steamer. 
The  small  boats  were  lowered  to  the  water 
and  they  were  immediately  filled  with  terri- 
fied passengers,  till  no  more  could  find  room. 
Among  those  left  to  the  mercy  of  the  waves 
was  Iola  Graham.  She  held  her  position 
on  the  burning  steamship  till  the  fearful 
flames  forced  her  to  cnoose  death  in  the 
deep  rather  than  be  burned.  She  maintained 
her  courage.  Before  the  leap  into  the  water 
she  looked  heavenward  and  in  agonizing 
prayer,  cried:  "  O,  God,  thou  art  the  same 
in  the  water  as  on  the  land.  I  commit  my- 
self to  thy  keeping  for  Jesus'  sake,"  and  Iola 
was  struggling  with  the  restless  waves  of  the 
deep.  She  had  suffered  at  the  hands  of 
father  and  was  strong,  but  now  struggling  in 


I90  IOLA  ;    OR, 

the  perils  of  waters,  will  she  be  strong  in  her 
faith  in  God?" 

Soon  the  steamer  was  burned  to  the  waters 
edge  and  keeled  partly  over,  and  continued 
to  burn. 

The  tide  drifted  the  passengers  apart,  a 

number   of  whom  had   followed  Iola  rather 

than  suffer  death   from  the  flames.     Oh,  the 

perils  of  the  deep  !  The  beautiful   Iola   was 

alone.     She  struggled  long  and  hard  to  keep 

on    the  surface  of  the   waters.     That  was  a 

fearful  Friday,  a  day  long  to  be  remembered 

by     those    who  escaped    death.     Time  and 

again      Iola     felt     that     she     was    going- — 

sinking,  that   she  would   soon  be  with    her 

mother  and   her   God.     All    through    these 

hours  of  peril  the  life-preserver  had  kept  her 

up.     The   day  is  far  spent  and  Iola   knows 

not  whither  she  has   drifted.     She  is  nearly 

exhausted,   she  feels  that  she  can  not   hold 

on  longer.     In  the  same  calm  self-possession 

she  felt  that  even  death   would   be  a  relief, 

from    such   exposure    and    peril.     Then  she 

seemed  thrilled  by  the  presence  of  the  Holy 

Spirit  and  under  this  inspiration   she  rallied 

her  strength  and  began  to  sing  : 

"Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 
Let  me  to  thy  bosom  fly. 
\\hile  the  raging  billows  roll 
While  the  tempest  still  is  high." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


I9I 


"  The   Steamer  was  burned  to  the  water  s  edge  and  keeled 
partly  over  and  continued  to  burn," 


192  IOLA;   OR, 

From  the  first  to  the  last  word  her  voice  in- 
creased in  beauty  and  volume — it  was 
enough.  God  had  heard  her  prayer,  he  had 
given  her  strength  to  sing  so  as  to  be  heard 
on  shore,  by  one  who  went  in  a  small  boat 
in  search  of  that  sweet,  rich  voice. 

Iola  was  nearly  delirious  from  exhaus- 
tion. She  felt  that  she  was  almost  over  the 
river,  where  she  would  soon  be  at  rest.  But 
she  heard  the  splash  of  the  oar  in  the  water. 
In  her  semi-conscious  state  she  imagined  she 
could  hear  the  angel  boatman  from  over  the 
river  coming  for  her.  Soon  she  found  her- 
self pulled  at,  and  looking  she  saw  a  man  in 
a  boat,  and  that  was  the  last  she  knew  of 
his  helo.  After  much  effort  he  succeeded 
in  pulling  her  into  the  boat,  and  made  for 
the  shore  with  all  possible  speed.  He  finally 
got  her  ashore  and  to  his  father's  house  yet 
alive,  but  still  unconscious.  All  possible 
effort  was  put  forth  by  the  family  to  restore 
her.  By  ten  o'clock  that  night  they  saw  in- 
dications of  returning  consciousness. 

Different  members  of  the  family  watched 
by  her  bedside  through  the  night- with  cease- 
less vigilance.  By  the  dawning  of  the  morn- 
ing- she  was  stronger  and  conscious.  Looking 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  193 

around  at  the  strangers,  she  said  :  "  I  wish 
you  would  tell  me  where  I  am,  and  how  I 
came  here.  I  know  I  have  been  rescued 
from  a  burning  steamer,  but  I  know  noth- 
ing of  the  details.  Who  saved  me?  I 
remember  some  one  coming  to  me  on  a 
boat." 

"  It  was  my  son  Edward  who  saved  you," 
answered  an  old  lady. 

"  Who  is  Edward  ?" 

"  Edward  D.  Paul,  my  son.  He  was  hunt- 
ing down  near  the  sea,  and  hearing  a  voice 
on  the  water  singing, 

'  Jesus,   lover  of  my  sou],' 

he  procured  a  boat  and  went  in  search  of 
you.  He  thinks  you  were  almost  dead 
when  he  found  you." 

"  Indeed,  I  was.  I  had  been  on  the  water 
since  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning.  My 
last  recollection  is  that  I  seemed  to  be  going 
over  the  dark  river.  I  saw  at  various  times 
through  the  day  my  mother  hovering  above 
me  as  an  angel.  If  God  gives  his  angels  charge 
to  keep  us  when  in  peril,  may  it  not  be  that 
my  mother  kept  me  from  sinking  till  the  time- 
ly deliverance  at  the  hands  of  your  son  ?" 

"  That  may  be.   I  believe  that  angels  hover 

7 


194  iola;  or, 

around  God's  people  in  their  times  of  need 
and  distress." 

11  Please  tell  me  where  I  am — in  what  State 
and  county?" 

"  Oh  !  you   are    in   county,  North 

Carolina,  near  the  Atlantic  coast." 

11  How  far  am  I  from  C ?" 

"  Why,  some  fifty  miles.  What  of  it?" 

"  I  had    started  there  to  teach.     I   sailed 

from    W on  Thursday.     About    three 

o'clock  Friday  morning  our  steamer  was 
burned,  and  by  the  goodness  of  God  I  am 
here,  instead  of  being  in  the  sea.  My  name 
is  Iola  Graham.  I  deeply  regret  that  I  am 
thus  forced  upon  the  kindness  of  strangers. 
You  see  I  am  helpless.  If  my  life  is  spared, 
I  will  seek  to  compensate  you,  if  you  will  be 
kind  enough  to  give  me  shelter  in  your  home 
till  I  am  able  to  travel," 

"Oh,  certainly!  We  count  it  an  honor 
that  God  has  chosen  us  to  be  his  servants  in 
taking  care  of  you  in  this  hour  of  exposure 
and  misfortune.  In  entertaining  strangers 
we  sometimes  entertain  angels  unawares. 
Be  assured  you  are  welcome,  and  what  we 
may  do  for  you  will  be  counted  a  privilege." 

"  '  Every  thorn   has  a  rose,'      she  replied. 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  I95 

"  If  one  must  be  exposed  to  the  perils  of 
the  sea,  it  is  indeed  a  blessing  to  be  found 
by  such  noble-hearted  christian  people.  You 
make  me  feel  so  much  at  home." 

"  But  you  are  too  weak  to  talk — you  must 
be  quiet  and  try  to  sleep  all  you  can,  till  you 
are  stronger,  or  your  exhaustion  may  develop 
into  sickness,"  said  Mrs.  Paul. 

She  promptly  obeyed.  Everything  possi- 
ble was  done  for  her  comfort.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Paul,  as  well  as  their  daughters  and  son,  felt 
that  they  had  a  treasure  committed  to  their 
kindness,  and  they  resolved  to  do  their  duty 
and  leave  the  results  with  Him  who  rewards 
even  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  the  name 
of  a  disciple.  They  did  not  know  her,  had 
never  heard  of  her  family  before,  unless  she 
was  of  the  Governor  Graham  family. 

Through  Saturday  she  seemed  to  rally 
partially  from  the  effects  of  her  exposure. 
However,  Sunday  fever  was  developed,  and 
by  Monday  she  was  unconscious.  The 
family  physician,  Dr.  Winborne,  was  in  con- 
stant attendance,  using  all  his  skill  to  check 
the  fever,  but  in  vain.  For  three  long  weeks 
it  was  a  struggle  between  life  and  disease, 
most  of  the  time  the  beautiful  Iola  lay  all 


I96  IOLA  ;   OR, 

unconscious.  Frequently  she  shuddered, 
and  seemed  as  if  shrinking  from  the  pres- 
ence of  some  person.  Then  her  face  would 
glow  with  a  peaceful  smile,  and  she  would 
reach  out  her  pale,  thin  hands,  as  if  to  grasp 
another,  and  call :  "  Mother,  mother ;  my 
dear  mother !" 

At  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  week  she 
was  improving  slowly,  and  hope  of  her  re- 
covery was  entertained.  Never  were  people 
kinder  to  a  stranger  than  had  been  the  Paul 
family  to  Iola  Graham,  through  these  weeks 
of  suffering,  though  all  they  knew  of  her 
was  from  the  few  words  she  had  spoken  when 
she  first  recovered  consciousness  after  her 
rescue  from  the  sea.  She  had  been  unable 
to  tell  her  own  story,  but  her  lovely  face, 
modest  mien  and  gentle  words,  even  when 
delirious,  had  satisfied  them  of  her  high 
christian  character.  Thus  they  waited  and 
watched  by  her  bedside  for  weeks.  By 
the  middle  of  December  she  was  able  to  sit 
up  for  half  a  day  at  a  time.  As  returning 
strength  enabled  and  encouraged  her  to  talk, 
she  asked  if  there  was  a  Christian  church  in 
that  community. 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  1 97 

"  Yes,"  answered  a  friend,  "  and  the  Pauls 
are  members  of  it." 

This  gave  her  pleasure.  She  said  she  count- 
ed herself  fortunate,  as  that  was  her  church. 
She  felt  a  real  delight  in  the  fact  that  she 
was  with  friends  who  could  sympathize  with 
her  in  her  religious  convictions  and  her  de- 
nominational trials.  To  her  surprise  she 
learned  that  young  Edward  Paul,  who  had 
rescued  her  from  the  sea,  was  a  deacon  in 
this  church.  Though  very  young,  he  had 
been  deemed  the  proper  person  to  fill  the 
office,  because  of  his  piety  and  intelligence  ; 
he  was  a  model  young  man,  and  filled  the 
office  with  the  dignity  of  one  of  maturer 
years. 

Her  presence  in  the  community  had 
awakened  a  deep  interest  in  her  history  on 
the  part  of  leading  citizens,  but  no  one  was 
able  to  satisfy  their  curiosity.  She  shrank 
from  reciting  the  adventures  of  her  own  life, 
and  her  newly  made  friends  hesitated  to  in- 
troduce   the  subject.     Thus  days  passed. 

On  Christmas  Eve,  Edward  and  his 
mother  were  in  the  library.  Their  conver- 
sation turned  upon  his  work  in  rescuing  the 
young    lady    from   a  watery    grave.     They 


198  iola;  Ok, 

both  felt  a  laudable  pride  in  the  fact  that  he 
had  saved  her.     Said  he  : 

11  Mother,  is  there  any  reason  why  one 
who  saves  a  lost  treasure  may  not  make  that 
treasure  his  own?" 

"What  do  you   mean,  son?" 
"I  guess  you  understand  me,  mother." 
"  If  I  do,  I  see  no  wrong  in  it." 
"  Thank  you.     I  have  thought  there  could 
be  none,  and  if    not,  if  I  have  recovered  a 
lost   treasure,  why  may  it  not   become   my 
own: 

Tea  was  announced  and  the  conversation 
ended. 

It  was  a  pleasant  evening,  indeed.  All  the 
family  was  at  home  and  Miss  Graham  was 
now  well  enough  to  join  in  the  festivities  of 
this  merry  season. 

Christmas  morning  was  ushered  in  with 
real  joy  and  merriment.  By  ten  o'clock 
Iola  asked  to  be  excused,  as  she  was  not  yet 
strong  enough  to  endure  the  strain  of  con- 
tinued merry-making,  and  she  retired  to  the 
library  to  rest. 

Edward  came  in,  and  entering  the  library 
began  conversation  with  her.  Soon  allu- 
sion was  made  to  her  voyage  on  the  ill-fated 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  I99 

"  Mistress  of  the  Sea,"  and  with  a  sigh  she 
remarked : 

"  The  most  unexpected  things  turn  us — 
the  whole  of  life — into  the  most  unexpected 
ways.     It  was  so  in  that  instance'" 

"  Yes,  that  is  true;"  as  the  poet  has  said, 

"  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform." 

"  I  hope  you  will  excuse  the  curiosity,  and 
permit  me  to  ask  how  you  came  to  be  on 
the  "  Mistress  of  the  Sea?" 

"  Oh,  certainly,  but  the  story  is  lengthy 
and  may  tax  your  patience." 

"  Oh,  no  !  Besides,  since  I  was  permitted 
to  rescue  you  I  feel  an  interest  in  the 
events  which  led  you  to  take  passage  on 
that  steamer." 

She  then  proceeded  with  the  sad  story,  be- 
ginning at  Broad  Creek  church,  graphically 
portraying  the  exciting  and  pathetic  events 
of  her  life  to  the  present  time,  and  then  she 
added  : 

t;  Now  you  know  it  all — why  I  am  here  an 
orphan  girl,  fighting  my  battles  alone.  It 
was  all  for  conscience's  sake,  because  I  could 
not  practice  close  communion." 

"  Do  not  consider  yourself  alone,  or  an 


200  IOLA  ;    OR, 

orphan.  Your  martyr-like  sufferings  and 
your  heroic  struggles  against  bigotry  will 
give  you  friends  anywhere.  More  than  ever, 
I  feel  that  your  sad  coming  has  brought  a 
blessing  to  us  all." 

"  I  wish  it,  but  I  can  not  hope  for  so  much 
to  follow  my  misfortunes  and  sorrows." 

"  Indeed  I  can,  and  do.  The  circum- 
stances of  our  acquaintance  form  an  event 
never  to  be  forgotten,  and  now  that  I  know 
your  sad  history  and  your  conflicts  with 
sectarianism,  I  feel  that  we  have  entertained 
an  angel  unawares." 

■'  Indeed,  I  am  not  entitled  to  so  much 
consideration.  I  can  not  feel  otherwise  than 
deeply  grateful  for  hospitality  so  unbounded, 
and  yet  your  estimate  of  my  coming  is  too 
high.  It  is  the  unfortunate  in  the  warm 
hearts  of  the  fortunate.  I  trust  I  may  not 
tarry  too  long." 

"  The  opposite  is  the  question  with  me — 
how  can  we  keep  you  long  enough  ?" 

<  Thank  you,"  she  said,  "but  I  must  soon 
leave,  for  my  work, — when  I  am  strong 
enough.  The  responsibilities  of  my  living 
are  upon  my  own  shoulders." 

•'  Where  is  your  work?" 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  201 

"  Oh,  I  have  to  look  it  up.   I  was  to  teach 

in  C .     But  of  course,  now  I   must   look 

elsewhere." 

"  I  can  guarantee  you  a  permanent  situa- 
tion, if  you  will  accept  it,  with  light  and 
pleasant  employment." 

''Thank  you.     That  is  very  kind." 

"The  only  question  is,  will  you  accept 
it,  Miss  Iola?" 

"  I  suppose  I  will,  but  tell  me  what  it  is, 
first." 

"  I  fear  you  may  decline,  or  think  I  am 
joking.  I  am  really  in  earnest.  To  tell  the 
truth,  it  has  been  the  theme  of  my  thoughts 
since  the  day  I  found  you  in  the  sea." 

Anticipating  the  possible  turn  of  this 
proposition  just  here,  Iola  did  not  answer, 
and  then  a  blush,  which  betrayed  them  both, 
played  upon  manly  and  womanly  cheeks 
alike.  After  a  few  moments  of  painful 
silence,  he  said  : 

"May  I  tell  it  all  to  you?"  and  without 
waiting  for  an  answer,  he  continued,  "  I  love 
you  and  the  desire  of  my  heart  is  to  know 
that  you  reciprocate  my  love." 

"  Mr.  Paul,  you  know  how   truly  I  esteem 


202  IOLA;   OR, 

you    for  your    noble  efforts    in    saving    my 
life—" 

"  Yes,  but  those  efforts  developed  in  my 
bosom  love  for  you,  and  nothing  but  your 
love  in  return  can  make  me  happy.  My 
happiness  is  dependent  on  your  will,  and 
now  I  lay  myself  helpless  at  your  feet,  can 
you,  will  you  be  mine?" 

She  gazed  steadily  at  the  red  coals  in  the 
fire  and  her  lips  trembled.  The  whole  mat- 
ter is  in  the  balances,  and  she  must  decide  it, 
and  turning  her  beautiful  eyes  toward  him 
she  said : 

"  You  are  too  venturous.  You  are  risking 
too  much — you  do  not  know  me,  you  do  not 
know  that  I  am  worthy  to  fill  so  honorable 
a  position." 

"  But  I  know  this"  he  replied,  "  I  am 
anxious  to  risk  it  all.  I  do  not  fear  you  will 
disappoint  me  as  you  intimate.  Will  you 
be  my  wife?" 

"  I  think  you  do  not  realize  fully  that 
vvhen  you  make  that  proposition  it  is  to  one 
who  is  now  a  wanderer  from  her  own  home — 
a  cast  off  for  her  faith — among  strangers. 
Perhaps  you  have  not  thought  what  it  is  to 
make  such  a  lady  your  life  companion." 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  203 

"  All  this  has  only  made  me  the  more  de- 
termined to  ask  you,  to  urge  you  to  become 
my  wife." 

Here  she  bowed  her  head  and  her  lips 
quivered  under  their  burden  of  responsi- 
bility— she  was  deciding  for  life  the  weal  or 
woe  of  two  souls.  Again  looking  into  his 
manly  face,  she  answered  : 

11  I  yield — I  will  be  yours." 

"  I  am  blessed,"  he  said,  "  my  happiness  is 
complete,"  and  they  talked  pleasantly  of 
the  vows  taken  and  of  plans  for  the  future. 
At  length  Edward  requested  her  to  name 
the  day  of  their  marriage.  "I  am  aware," 
said  he,  "that  this  looks  like  hurrying  you. 
I  do  not  mean  to  be  hasty,  but  you  are 
necessarily  from  your  friends  and  relatives, 
and  for  this  reason  it  might  add  to  your 
happiness,  and  an  early  marriage  will  cer- 
tainly suit  me." 

"  I  will  answer  that  as  soon  as  I  can  de- 
cide it  in  my  own  mind." 

"Iola,  oh,  Iola!"  It  was  the  voice  of  Jen- 
nie Paul  calling,  and  Iola  excused  herself  to 

go- 
In  a  few  days  the  first  Tuesday  in  March 


204  I0LA  ;    OR, 

was  agreed  on,  and  preparations  were  made 
for  the  happy  event. 

On  the  day  appointed  she  was  married, 
and  her  new  home  was  an  elegant  mansion — 
who  was  more  worth)'? 


Chapter   XXII. 


fj^c  FEW  days  after  her  marriage  she 
(X$ks  addressed  to  her  father  the  following 
very  tender  letter : 

M ,   N.  C,  March  12,  1883. 

My  Dear  Father  : 

I  have  not  heard  from  you  since  last 
October,  except  a  few  words  from  a  friend 
by  letter.  Through  her  I  learned  of  your 
sickness.  I  fear  you  are  still  displeased 
with  me,  yet  I  must  write— I  must  know 
how  you  are.  The  day  I  left  home,  I 
joined  the  CHRISTIANS  at  Percy's  Chapel, 
and  through  the  kindness  of  friends  I  ob- 
tained a  school  in    C ,    for  which   place 

I  sailed  on  Thursday  before  the  first  Sunday 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


205 


EDWARD  F.  PAUL. 


206  IOLA  ;   OR, 

in  November.  On  the  way  our  ship  was 
burned  and  I,  after  great  peril  and  exposure, 
was  rescued  by  Mr.  Edward  F.  Paul.  This 
was  followed  by  weeks  of  sickness  from 
which,  however,  I  have  recovered. 

Last  Tuesday,  one  week  ago,  I  was  mar- 
ried to  the  gentleman  who  rescued  me  from 
a  watery  grave.  I  am  happily  married  and 
comfortably  situated.  I  am  disturbed  by 
your  sickness,  knowing  you  are  alone.  I 
hope  yet  to  know  that  you  love  me.  My 
course  in  church  matters  displeased  you,  but 
not  of  choice,  it  was  in  answer  to  the  honest 
demands  of  my  conscience — a  plain  obedi- 
ence to  the  teachings  of  the  scriptures. 

I  do  not  wish  to  write  of  things  unpleas- 
ant to  you,  but  I  must  say  the  memory  of 
my  days  of  bondage,  religiously,  even  now 
stirs  my  soul  till  I  feel  I  must  do  something 
to  help  free  others  who  may  be  in  like 
bondage. 

When  I  think  how  sectarianism  hampers 
the  servants  of  God  in  their  worship,  when  I 
think  how  it  led  my  dear  mother  to  the 
verge  of  insanity,  and  to  an  untimely  grave, 
when  I  think  it  expelled  me  from  the  church 
of  my  early  choice,  and  finally  turned^  me 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  207 

away  from  my  dear  father's  home,  where 
once  we  were  a  happy  family  together, — O 
Heaven,  have  mercy  !  My  heart  aches  as  I 
look  upon  the  picture. 

Surely  you  and  your  Baptist  brethren  will 
soon  see  this  error,  and  turn  from  it.  It  is  a 
"  bone  of  contention,"  which  carries  so  much 
sorrow,  strife  and  discord  into  christian 
homes.  Let  us  cease  to  fight  one  another 
with  unkind  words  and  bitter  slurs.  Then 
the  church  may  present  one  solid,  unbroken 
phalanx  of  workers  against  this  selfishness 
and  the  power  of  Satan. 

But  I  must  close.  I  love  you  still,  dear 
father,  and  I  hope  you  love  your  own  Iola. 
Be  assured  if  I  can  do  anything  for  your 
comfort,  you  have  only  to  let  me  know  it, 
and  I  will  soon  be  in  the  dear  old  home  of 
my  childhood's  happy  days,  to  do  anything 
I  can  for  you.  I  would  be  glad  to  do  some- 
thing to  make  your  last  days  on  earth  happy. 
If  you  will  accept  my  service,  I  will  come  at 
once.  I  would  be  delighted  to  take  you  home 
with  me.  Then  I  could  daily  minister  to  your 
wants.  Do  let  me  hear  from  you. 
Your  loving  daughter, 

Iola  G.  Paul. 


2o8  IOLA  ;    OR, 

This  letter  was  received  at  the  old  home- 
stead by  Mr.  Graham.  He  read  it  through 
blinding  tears.  It  carried  him  back  to  the 
happy  days  when  wife  and  child  and  him- 
self— a  happy  trio — dwelt  together  in  peace. 
That  was  before  the  ugly  hand  of  sectarian- 
ism had  divided  and  distracted  his  own 
model  home.  Then,  he  was  well  and  happy. 
Now,  he  is  so  miserable  because  of  the  past 
and  withal  a  sick  man,  a  great  sufferer  from 
inflamation,  arising  from  the  wound  he  re- 
ceived years  before  on  the  field  of  battle.  It 
is  fast  wasting  his  strength  and  he  is  prepar- 
ing to  meet  death,  which  he  feels  is  rapidly 
coming.  He  laid  the  letter  upon  the  table 
and  left  it  unanswered, — perhaps  he  was  too 
feeble.  A  kind-hearted  visitor,  seeing  the 
letter  and  supposing  that  the  father  would 
not,  or  could  not,  answer  it,  wrote  briefly  to 
Iola  as  follows  : 

Wynan's  Falls,  N.  C,  March  28,  1883. 

Mrs.  Iola  G.  Paul, 

M ,  N.  C. 

Pardon  a  privilege  I  am  taking.  Visiting 
your  father  to-day,  I  find  he  is  very  feeble. 
I   felt  that  you  ought   to   know  it.     I   saw 


FACING    THE     TRUTH.  209 

your  letter  to  him,  and  at  once  deter- 
mined to  let  you  know  his  real  condition. 
He  is  feeble — I  think  fast  declining.  The 
wound  he  received  before  you  were  born  has 
inflamed  seriously,  and  his  strength  is  fail- 
ing. He  is  much  alone,  and  seems  to  be  in 
trouble. 

Yours  truly, 

Mrs.  Jno.  T.  Braxton. 

Upon  reading  this,  Iola  determined  to 
visit  her  father  at  once  ;  and,  if  he  would 
consent,  to  bring  him  to  her  home,  that  she 
might  comfort  him  in  his  declining  days. 
She  spoke  to  her  husband  of  her  wishes.  He 
approved  her  plans,  and  in  a  few  days  they 
were  at  the  bedside  of  Mr.  Graham.  As  she 
entered  his  room  he  was  asleep.  Awaking 
at  her  approach,  he  recognized  her,  and, 
reaching  forth  his  arms,  feebly  exclaimed, 
"  My  child  !"  and  father  and  daughter  were 
again  face  to  face.  She  saw  a  great  change 
had  come  over  him.  As  they  sat  by  his 
bedside  gazing  upon  the  wasting  form,  Iola 
said  very  tenderly: 

"  Father,  we  wish  you  to  go  with  us  home 
to  spend  the  remainder  of  your  days  with 


210  IOLA;    OR, 

us,  so  that  I  can  do  for  you  and  care  for 
you." 

"  Ah,  child  !  I  fear  I  could  not  endure  the 
fatigue  of  the  journey,  I  am  so  feeble." 

"  Yes,  father,  we  can  make  you  comfort- 
able, if  you  will  consent  to  go." 

"Well,  child,  I  do  not  know  what  is  best, 
but  I  will  do  as  you  wish." 

"  At  home  once  more,"  she  said,  as  she 
walked  to  and  fro  about  the  pleasant  haunts 
of  her  early  childhood,  and  she  came  to  her 
mother's  room.  There  was  her  favorite  seat, 
and  Iola,  resting  her  elbow  on  the  rim  of 
her  mother's  old  arm  chair,  stood  and  wept. 
A  thousand  thoughts  pressed  her  mind,  for 
the  memories  of  other  days  were  many  and 
sad. 

Everything  was  arranged  and  the  trip  was 
made  without  serious  consequences  to  Mr. 
Graham.  At  Mr.  Paul's  he  had  every  atten- 
tion. Iola  was  almost  constantly  at  his  bed- 
side ministering  to  his  wants. 

He  suffered  much,  and  lingered  through 
the  lovely  spring  time,  till  the  warm  July 
days  came,  when  he  grew  much  worse.  The 
end  was  not  far  away — every  one  could  see 


FACING    THE    TRUTH. 


211 


"  Iola,  resting  her  elbow  on  the  rim  ofhsr  mother  s  old  arm 

chair,  stood  and  wept,"    *  *  *  *  for  the  memories 

oj  other  days  were  many  and  sad" 


212  IOLA  ;    OR, 

that,  and  he  himself  felt,  no  doubt,  the  warn- 
ing touch  of  the  fingers  of  Death. 

On  the  morning  of  July  7th,  he  seemed 
not  only  weaker,  but  nervously  restless.  He 
acted  like  one  who  has  a  hidden  burden  upon 
his  heart  ;  meanwhile  Iola  was  tenderly  wait- 
ing and  watching  by  him,  anticipating  as 
nearly  as  she  could  every  want  of  her  de- 
parting father.  At  length  he  looked  Iola 
in  the  face,  and  pitifully  said  : 

11  Dear  child,  forgive  and  forget  your  fath- 
er's sad  mistakes  which  brought  upon  your 
young  life  so  much  pain  and  sorrow.  For 
weeks  before  you  returned,  I  was  troubled. 
I  went  as  with  a  thorn  in  my  flesh.  My  ex- 
clusive conduct  toward  you  and  your  mother 
has  haunted  me  no  little.  It  was  the  sad 
mistake  of  my  life,  and  has  left  the  darkest 
spot  in  my  memory.  Oh  !  I  deeply  regret 
it.  Then  I  thought  I  was  right ;  I  did  wish 
to  be  right,  but  I  went  too  far;  I  was  too 
bitter  towards  others  without  cause.  I 
heartily  regret  it  all. 

"  Now,  with  the  judgment  before  me,  and 
death  fast  approaching,  my  life  is  passing  in 
rapid  review.  In  all  the  mistakes  of  my  life, 
nothing  appears  half  so  fearful  to  me,  nothing 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  21 3 

so  mars  my  prospect  of  peace  as  the  thought 
of  the  many  heart-aches  I  so  unnecessarily 
gave  your  mother  and  yourself  about  your 
religious  views.  As  I  have  gradually  come 
nearer  and  yet  nearer  the  dark  river,  I  find 
that  all  those  feelings  of  bitterness  have  dis- 
appeared, till  now  my  soul  is  enlarged,  I 
love  every  child  of  God.  I  would  shut  none 
out,  I  would  keep  not  the  least  of  his  re- 
deemed from  the  Lord's  table,  or  any  other 
privilege,  be  he  Baptist,  Methodist,  or  any 
other,  only  if  he  is  Christ's. 

11  I  know  we  used  to  be  hard  upon  our 
brethren  of  other  persuasions.  I  was  for 
one.  May  God  forgive  me,  even  in  my  dy- 
ing hour  for  this  great  mistake.  Tell  my 
brethren  and  sisters  at  Broad  Creek  church 
that  my  dying  request  and  prayer  is,  that 
they  no  more  oppose  other  denominations 
as  they  did  formerly.  Tell  them  that  they 
cannot  afford  to  divide  and  fight  over  mat- 
ters of  opinion,  so  insignificant  when  com- 
pared with  the  theme  of  redemption,  upon 
which  Baptists,  Methodists,  Presbyterians, 
and  all  who  have  had  their  robes  washed  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  will  unite  in  one  grand 


214  IOLA;  OR, 

universal  song — even  the  song  of  the  re- 
deemed in  Heaven." 

He  paused  as  if  to  rest,  and  Iola  said  : 

"  I  forgive  you,  dear  father,  a  thousand 
times.  Do  not  grieve  over  those  dark  days 
now,"  and  while  she  was  talking  she  saw  he 
was  sinking  rapidly.  In  this  sad  moment 
she  forgot  herself  and  the  past  in  her  efforts 
to  alleviate  his  sufferings.  Convinced  that 
he  was  dying  she  felt  she  must  tell  him  of 
his  real  condition,  and  she  tremblingly  said: 

"  Father,  do  you  know  that  you  are  almost 
home?  that  you  are  now  within  the  gates  of 
the  Beulah-land  ?" 

"Am  I,  child  ?  Then  ask  Edward  to  pray 
with  me." 

The  request  was  granted.  A  warm  and 
tender  prayer  was  offered.  As  they  arose 
they  saw  a  halo  of  joy  beaming  from  his 
face  and  his   eyes  seemed  fixed    on  Heaven. 

"  Beautiful,  beautiful  !"  feebly  lisped  the 
dying  man,  and   Iola,  holding  his  hand  said  : 

"  What  is  it,  father?" 

''  I  see  the  shining  shore,  and  that  bright 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  21 5 

city — its  portals  are  open  wide,  the  angels 
are  sweeping  through  the  gates." 

"  Don't  you  hear  them? 
Don't  you  hear  them, 
Coming,  coming  over  hill  and  plain, 
Scattering  music  in  their  heavenly  train? 
Oh  don't  you  hear  the  angels  coming, 
Singing  as  they  come  ?" 

He  was  gasping  and  he  reached  his   cold 

thin    hand   to  Iola  and  said  :     "  Good-bye." 

Then  his  face  was  bright,  and  looking  about 

his  bedside,  he  seemed   to  see  the  heavenly 

visitors,    and,  as  if  appealing  to    them,    he 

whispered  feebly  but  earnestly, 

"  Oh  !  bear  me,  angels, 
Angels,  bear  me  home," 

and  the  end  of  an  eventful  life  had  come, — 
the  angels  had  escorted  the  spirit  of  George 
Graham  to  the  presence  of  God. 


Chapter  XXIII. 


VjVHE  death  of  Mr.  Graham  was  a  pecu- 
^JL!^  liarly  sad  one,  not  only  grieving  Iola, 
but  it  opened  anew  the  painful  heart-wounds 
in  the  history  of    her  mother's  life,  and  re* 


2l6  IOLA;    OR, 

called  the  persecutions  through  which  she 
had  walked.  She  had  been  able  to  think  of 
nothing  else  for  days,  and  in  her  sleep  the 
events  of  other  years  were  passing  in  pano- 
ramic view,  till  she  seemed  to  live  over  those 
days  of  pain  again. 

At  length  there  was  a  change.  Iola  was 
transported  in  a  dream  from  the  scenes  of 
earth-born  heart-aches  to  the  Judgment. 

The  Judge  and  a  company  of  sect-preach- 
ers of  different  denominations,  with  their 
respective  congregations,  first  attracted  her 
attention.  The  Lord,  in  awful  grandeur, 
was  upon  his  throne,  and  the  assembled  uni- 
verse had  gathered  near,  awaiting  the  final 
decision.  Silence  was  so  intense  as  to  be 
painful. 

The  Judge  called  one  of  the  preachers 
with  his  congregation  forward,  and  said  : 

"  My  servant,  are  all  these  yours?"  Seeing 
he  hesitated  to  answer,  the  Judge  added,  by 
way  of  explanation,  "  Did  you  win  all  of 
these  from  the  world?" 

"  No,  Lord,"  the  servant  answered,  "  I 
persuaded  some  of  them  to  leave  other 
churches  and  come  to  mine." 

"  Take  these,  my  angels,  who  have  been 


FACING    THE    TRUTH.  217 

thus  persuaded  to  leave  other  churches,  and 
place  them  here  alone." 

Then  came  another  preacher  with  his  flock 
to  be  judged.     Said  the  judge  : 

11  Are  all  these  the  fruits  of  your  labors, 
my  servant?" 

"  No,  Lord,  I  gathered  a  portion  of  them 
from  the  labors  of  others." 

"  My  angels,"  said  the  Judge,  "  take  from 
him  the  souls  he  has  taken  from  another 
fold,  and  place  them  with  the  others. 

Then  came  another  preacher  with  a  small 
flock,  and  the  Judge  said  : 

"  Are  all  these  yours?" 

"  Yea,  Lord,"  the  trembling  servant  an- 
swered. 

•'  Where  did  you  get  them  ?" 

(<  In  protracted  meetings,  at  the  mourners' 
bench,  in  school  houses,  in  the  wilderness, 
on  the  mountains,  in  the  valleys,  in  huts, 
in  the  palaces  of  the  rich,  in  the  country  and 
in  the  cities.  I  went  through  the  winter's 
cold  and  summer's  heat  ;  I  went  on  long 
journeys  and  lived  on  hard  fare,  with  little 
pay,  and  with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil  against  me.  Through  all  of  this  J 
sought  and  found  them," 


218  IOLA;   OR, 

"  Who  are  they,  my  servant  ?" 

"  Lord,  they  are  Christians,  for  they  have 
been  redeemed  and  washed  in  the  blood  of 
Christ.  They  are  thine,  Master, — the 
sheaves  I  have  gathered  for  thee." 

And  the  Judge  said  :  "  My  angels,  take 
and  give  to  him  the  souls  others,  through  a 
mistaken  zeal,  had  persuaded  to  leave  him- 
Give  them  to  my  servants,  who  did  not 
proselyte,  but  sought  to  win  their  flocks  from 
the  world,  leaving  my  people  to  enjoy  their 
church-home  in  peace.  It  were  a  worthy 
effort  to  compass  sea  and  land  to  save  a  soul, 
but  it  is  a  sin  to  proselyte  my  children,  lead- 
ing them  under  mistaken  light  from  one  fold 
to  another — they  are  all  Mine." 

Here  the  faces  of  the  sect-preachers  be- 
came very  sad.  They  looked  one  at  another, 
and  then  drew  aside  for  consultation.  Their 
followers  looked  on  in  astonishment.  Soon 
they  returned  and  advanced  toward  the 
Judge.  One  drew  nearer  than  the  others 
and  appealing  to  the  Judge  said  :  "  Master, 
in  behalf  of  myself  and  my  brethren,  I  come 
to  plead  for  mercy.  We  mistook  our  mis- 
sion,  and  much  of  the  time  we  ought  to  have 
given    to    leading    the  lost    sheep    to    the 


Facing  the  truth.  219 

Shepherd  of  souls,  we  have  spent  in  proselyt- 
ing the  members  of  other  churches.  Now 
we  see  our  mistake.  Proselyting  is  not  the 
work  thou  gavest  us  to  do,  but  pointing  sin- 
ners to  Thee  is  the  work  of  our  lives.  We 
did  wrong  to  trouble  such  as  were  already 
sheltered  in  the  fold.  We  did  it  in  ignor- 
ance. 

11  Now,  Lord,  we  come  to  ask  permission  to 
return  to  our  fields  and  do  our  work  over 
again,  carrying  the  bread  of  life  to  the  per- 
ishing, instead  of  a  "  bone  of  contention"  to 
the  saved.  Grant  us  this  privilege,  and  we 
will  no  more  divide  thy  church  with  ques- 
tions which  can  do  no  good.  If  we  may  go 
back,  the  burden  of  our  hearts  and  tongues 
shall  be  redeeming  love  and  the  salvation  of 
souls.  Spare  us,  we  pray  thee,  to  go  back 
this  once  and  then  when  thou  callest  us 
home  we  will  come  bringing  in  the  sheaves 
from  life's  great  harvest  field." 

Said  the  Judge,  "  Permission  is  given,  and 
you  will  go  forth  to  teach  the  people — my 
children — to  love  God  supremely  and  one  an- 
other as  members  of  a  happy  family.  Let 
none  array  a  brother  against  a  brother.    We 


220  I0LA;   OR, 

« 
need  united   effort    on    the    part   of   ail  my 
children  to  carry  the  world  to  the  Cross   of 
Christ." 

Here  the  Baptist,  the  Methodist,  the 
Presbyterian,  the  Lutheran  and  the  Episco- 
palian, with  many  other  sects,  hand  in  hand, 
and  heart  to  heart,  went  forth  as  brethren  in 
the  Lord  to  bring  sinners  to  repentance  and 
faith  in  Christ.  As  they  walked  forth,  the 
redeemed  of  Heaven, — they  that  had  come 
up  through  great  tribulations,  they  that  had 
been  saved  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, — 
struck  all  their  harps  of  gold,  and,  in  one 
rapturous  strain,  sang, 

"Glory  to  God  in  the  highest," 

and  as  they  went  forth  a  united  band  of 
brethren  in  Jesus,  proclaiming  the  good  tid- 
ings of  salvation  to  all  men,  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  followed  after  them,  crying  aloud, 
"  Iphedeiah" — -the  Lord  sets  free. 


